The Importance of Full Commitment
To succeed in freelancing, it’s essential to commit fully to the lifestyle. Freelancing is not a shortcut to easy income. It demands persistence, skill, adaptability, and most importantly, a mindset willing to face unpredictability. Embracing the reality of freelancing—including its ups and downs—creates the mental resilience necessary to navigate challenges, from dry spells in client work to the responsibility of managing your own business operations.
Setting Your Intentions
Before diving into the world of freelancing, it’s important to set clear intentions. This creates a roadmap that guides your decisions, keeps your efforts focused, and provides a sense of purpose throughout your journey.
Discovering Your Purpose
Ask yourself why you want to freelance. Are you seeking independence from traditional employment? Do you value creative control? Are you looking to maximize your income potential? Identifying your core motivation will anchor you during moments of uncertainty and help define the trajectory of your freelance career.
Visualizing Your Ideal Future
Consider what success looks like to you. Is it earning six figures while working from home? Is it having the flexibility to travel while still maintaining a steady income? Maybe it’s simply having more time for family and personal growth. By visualizing your destination, you set a clear target to work toward, which makes it easier to measure progress and stay motivated.
Mapping Out Your Mission
With your purpose and vision defined, think about how you’re going to get there. What services will you provide? Who is your ideal client? How will you position yourself in the market? Start small and refine your strategy as you gain more experience. Having a plan—even an evolving one—helps you move forward with clarity.
Defining Core Values
Your personal values act as the ethical framework of your freelance practice. Do you prioritize honesty in client communication? Are you committed to delivering quality over speed? Do you seek long-term relationships rather than one-off projects? Defining your values early helps you make decisions with confidence and build a reputation aligned with your principles.
Testing the Freelance Waters
Rather than jumping in headfirst, start by testing your readiness. Take on a few freelance assignments while still employed or during your free time. You can also offer your skills to nonprofit organizations or small businesses in your community. This phase helps you gain practical insight into the freelance workflow—managing projects, setting deadlines, and communicating with clients.
It also lets you assess your own preferences and aptitude. You’ll get to see whether you enjoy working solo, how well you handle multiple projects, and what areas of your work need improvement before going full-time.
Learning Through Real Experience
Testing also gives you a chance to start building your portfolio, collect testimonials, and get firsthand feedback. You’ll learn which clients are ideal, what kind of work you enjoy, and how you can streamline your processes. These experiences will inform how you shape your service offerings and how you communicate your value to future clients.
Refining Your Tools and Methods
Once you’ve dipped your toes into freelancing, it’s time to evaluate and improve your approach. Look at the tools you use for managing projects, invoicing, scheduling, and communication. Are they effective? Do they save you time or complicate your workflow?
Make adjustments that allow you to work smarter. Maybe you need a better time-tracking tool, a more professional website, or a clearer process for onboarding new clients. Streamlining your operations increases your efficiency, which ultimately improves client satisfaction and profitability.
Identifying Your Niche
Refinement isn’t just about systems—it also applies to your services. After some initial experience, you may find that you’re especially good at a specific type of work or that certain clients bring you more satisfaction and income than others. Specializing in a niche can help you stand out in a crowded market, command higher rates, and attract more consistent work.
Clients often prefer to hire specialists over generalists. Whether you’re writing marketing emails for SaaS companies or creating illustrations for children’s books, having a clear niche helps you position yourself as the go-to expert in that area.
Evaluating Long-Term Fit
At some point, you’ll need to reflect on whether freelancing is the right long-term path for you. This decision isn’t just financial. It’s about alignment with your values, lifestyle preferences, and personal growth goals. If you find that freelancing energizes you and provides the fulfillment you’re looking for, it may be time to take the next step and go all-in.
But if the freelance path doesn’t feel sustainable or doesn’t align with your deeper goals, it’s equally valid to pivot. The skills and experiences gained from freelancing—self-discipline, time management, client negotiation—are valuable in many other career settings.
Preparing to Scale
If you decide to move forward with freelancing, consider what scaling looks like for you. Do you want to raise your rates, build a team, or launch a product? Think strategically about how to grow your income without burning out. Scaling doesn’t necessarily mean working more hours—it often means working smarter.
This might involve refining your pricing models, shifting to retainer agreements, or developing passive income streams like digital products or courses. Building long-term client relationships and offering ongoing services can also stabilize your cash flow and reduce the need for constant client acquisition.
Developing a Resilient Mindset
One of the most underrated yet critical components of freelance success is mental resilience. Freelancers often face isolation, imposter syndrome, and financial fluctuations. Developing habits that support emotional well-being—like exercise, peer support, and regular reflection—helps maintain a healthy perspective.
Setting boundaries is equally important. Learning to say no, managing your time effectively, and avoiding scope creep can protect your mental bandwidth and ensure long-term sustainability.
Building a Strong Professional Identity
Branding isn’t just for companies. As a freelancer, your personal brand communicates your value, voice, and professional standards. From your portfolio and website to your social media presence and email signature, every touchpoint should reinforce the image you want to present.
Consistency is key. Whether it’s your tone, visual style, or the types of clients you serve, alignment across platforms builds trust and helps you stand out. A well-crafted brand also makes it easier for potential clients to understand what you offer and why you’re the right choice.
Attracting and Retaining High‑Quality Freelance Clients
The Client‑Centric Blueprint
A thriving freelance career depends on a constant influx of well‑aligned, well‑paying clients. Securing them is not about chance: it is the outcome of disciplined positioning, strategic outreach, and unwavering professionalism. We examine a comprehensive framework for attracting, converting, and keeping the kinds of clients who value—and reliably pay for—your expertise.
Crafting a Magnetic Freelance Brand
Your professional identity is often the first filter clients use to judge suitability. A magnetic brand blends clarity, credibility, and charisma. Consistency across your website, portfolio, social channels, and proposals reassures prospects that you are as organized as you are talented. Use a concise tagline that states who you help and the outcome you deliver. Visual coherence—colors, typography, and imagery—creates instant recognizability and subtly signals the calibre of your service.
Building a Targeted Portfolio
A targeted portfolio is less about quantity and more about relevance. Curate projects that mirror the challenges your ideal clients face. Each entry should include background context, your approach, tangible results, and a brief testimonial. Numbers matter: a percentage uptick in conversion rate or a dollar figure in revenue tells a stronger story than vague praise. Where confidentiality applies, anonymize company names yet preserve metrics. Arrange projects in a logical hierarchy—flagship work first, supportive pieces later—to guide prospects deeper into your capabilities.
Positioning and Specialization
Generalists compete on price; specialists compete on value. Narrowing your focus to a specific industry, deliverable, or methodology lets you command premium fees and shorter sales cycles. Positioning begins with market analysis: study dominant pain points, budget ranges, and competitor offerings. Then craft a unique value proposition that articulates why your experience produces faster, safer, or more innovative outcomes. A clear position also streamlines marketing since every article, webinar, and social post can speak directly to a defined audience.
Identifying Ideal Clients
Ideal clients do more than pay invoices on time—they energize your work and advance your long‑term goals. Profile them in terms of sector, company size, decision‑maker role, project frequency, and cultural fit. Use LinkedIn filters, industry job boards, and niche communities to locate prospects matching your criteria. Keep a living document where you log insights about each segment: typical budgets, preferred communication channels, and seasonal spending patterns. This reference guides outreach and tailors messaging.
Networking Ecosystem: Online and Offline
Robust networks amplify trust quickly. Online, share meaningful commentary in specialist forums, host live sessions, and publish how‑to articles that solve pressing industry problems. Offline, attend tightly focused conferences and local meetups where decision‑makers gather. Rather than pitching immediately, ask thoughtful questions that uncover their aspirations and constraints. Follow up within twenty‑four hours with a resource that addresses a challenge mentioned—positioning yourself as helpful before discussing business.
Creating Compelling Proposals
A proposal is a strategic document, not a formality. Open with a distilled understanding of the prospect’s objectives, then map those goals to a clear set of deliverables, milestones, and success metrics. Present pricing in outcome‑oriented tiers—each level tied to incremental value—so clients can choose their desired impact. Always incorporate a brief implementation timeline and list prerequisites the client must provide, setting transparent boundaries from the outset.
Pricing Strategies and Value‑Based Fees
Hourly billing is simple but caps earning potential. Value‑based or project pricing rewards efficiency and deep expertise. Begin by estimating the financial upside your solution delivers—additional revenue, cost savings, or risk reduction. Anchor your fee as a reasonable share of that upside. For recurring work, retainer agreements smooth cash flow while positioning you as a strategic partner rather than a vendor. Clearly communicate renewal terms and build periodic reviews into each contract.
Mastering Discovery Calls
Discovery calls convert curiosity into commitment. Prepare with meticulous research: recent press releases, product launches, and public financials reveal real‑time friction points. Structure the conversation around open‑ended questions that explore goals, obstacles, and success definitions. Reflect what you hear to confirm alignment, then share a concise diagnostic of their situation. End by outlining next steps—usually a proposal and timeline—maintaining momentum while the problem remains top of mind.
Onboarding for Seamless Collaboration
A structured onboarding sequence reassures new clients that they made the right choice. Send a kickoff guide that outlines communication cadence, file‑sharing protocols, and decision checkpoints. Create a shared workspace—a project board or folder hierarchy—so all materials reside in one place. During the kickoff meeting, revisit objectives, refine scopes, and define what success looks like in measurable terms. Close with an agreed‑upon schedule for progress reviews.
Delivering Excellence and Managing Expectations
Consistent excellence is a blend of craftsmanship and expectation management. Break projects into digestible phases, each with its own acceptance criteria. Provide interim deliverables or demos to surface feedback early, preventing costly misalignment. If delays loom, proactively communicate causes and revised timelines. Document key decisions in writing—email recaps or shared meeting notes—to prevent scope ambiguity and maintain accountability on both sides.
Communication Rhythms and Feedback Loops
Predictable updates calm anxieties and build trust. Establish a weekly status report that highlights completed tasks, upcoming priorities, and blockers requiring client input. Use straightforward language and actionable suggestions rather than generic progress summaries. Solicit feedback at each milestone through short pulse surveys or structured discussions. Closing feedback loops quickly demonstrates responsiveness and often surfaces upsell opportunities.
Client Retention and Upsell Tactics
Acquiring a new client typically costs far more than retaining an existing one, making retention a keystone metric. Offer periodic audits that reveal fresh opportunities and turn one‑off projects into ongoing optimization cycles. Introduce complementary services—maintenance, training, or consulting—that extend the client’s ROI while broadening your revenue base. Celebrate successes publicly (with permission) by featuring case studies or joint presentations, reinforcing your collaborative ethos.
Leveraging Testimonials and Case Studies
Social proof catalyzes trust. Gather testimonials immediately after you deliver measurable wins while the positive impact is vivid. Guide clients with specific prompts—ask about initial challenges, the results achieved, and what aspect of your process impressed them most. Expand select stories into case studies that detail the business context, your methodology, and quantifiable outcomes. Publish these as downloadable PDFs or interactive webpages to support future proposals.
Building Referral Engines
Referrals shorten the sales cycle because credibility is pre‑loaded. Create a simple referral program that rewards clients and network peers for introductions. The reward could be a service credit, a gift card, or merely public acknowledgment. Equip advocates with concise blurbs that articulate your offering and ideal client profile, making it easy for them to champion you accurately. Track referral sources to optimize which relationships deliver the highest‑value leads.
Automating Lead Generation
Automation scales outreach without sacrificing personalization. Implement email sequences triggered by downloads of your lead magnet—such as an industry checklist or mini‑audit template. Use customer relationship management software to segment subscribers by sector and engagement level, tailoring content accordingly. Integrate appointment scheduling links so prospects can book discovery calls without back‑and‑forth emails. Automations keep your funnel active even when you are deep in client work.
Continuous Improvement and Market Awareness
Markets shift, technologies evolve, and client expectations rise. Allocate time each quarter to audit your processes, analyze win‑loss trends, and refresh skill sets. Attend workshops, pursue certifications, or collaborate on side projects that stretch your abilities. Staying ahead of industry currents not only safeguards relevance but also positions you as a forward‑thinking consultant who anticipates rather than merely reacts.
Shifting From Solo Operator to Business Owner
The transition from busy freelancer to sustainable enterprise begins with mindset. A freelancer trades time for money; a business owner builds systems that generate value beyond personal labor. This shift requires deliberate choices about service positioning, financial modeling, and operational structure. The goal is to move from reactive project fulfillment to a proactive, growth‑oriented practice that compounds results over time.
Designing Repeatable Processes
Scalability is impossible without consistent workflows. Begin by mapping every touchpoint from lead inquiry to project wrap‑up. Identify bottlenecks—tasks that depend solely on your manual effort—and explore ways to standardize them. Document step‑by‑step procedures for proposal creation, onboarding, revision cycles, and off‑boarding. Store these guides in a shared knowledge base so collaborators can follow the same playbook, ensuring quality remains uniform as volume rises.
Delegating and Building a Trusted Bench
No matter how efficient you become, hours remain finite. Delegation unlocks new capacity and introduces complementary expertise. Start by outsourcing low‑impact tasks—bookkeeping, scheduling, data entry—freeing cognitive space for high‑value strategy and client relations. Next, cultivate relationships with specialists whose skills augment your own. Graphic designers, developers, or copyeditors can plug into projects as needed, transforming you into a miniature agency without permanent payroll obligations.
Financial Architecture for Growth
A thriving freelance business must manage cash proactively rather than reactively. Establish separate accounts for operations, taxes, and profit distributions. Adopt a forecasting habit: project revenue and expenses three to six months ahead, adjusting plans based on pipeline health. As you increase project size, transition to milestone‑based invoicing or retainers to smooth income. Research local regulations for quarterly tax estimates and retirement contributions so that growth does not invite financial surprises.
Evolving Your Pricing Strategy
As expertise and demand rise, so should rates. Review pricing annually or when workload nears full capacity. Rather than incremental hourly bumps, consider framing fees around business impact. Bundled service tiers and subscription models encourage recurring revenue while providing clients predictable budgeting. Transparent pricing grids on your website can pre‑qualify prospects and reduce negotiation friction.
Diversifying Revenue Streams
Reliance on a single income channel exposes the business to volatility. Complement client work with scalable products: downloadable templates, industry reports, or self‑paced courses derived from your proven frameworks. Host workshops or mastermind cohorts to monetize knowledge in group settings while reinforcing your authority. Licensing intellectual property—such as design assets or proprietary code—creates passive royalties that cushion against seasonal slowdowns.
Implementing Technology and Automation
Digital tools amplify output without proportional labor. Customer relationship management platforms track leads, automate follow‑ups, and visualize sales funnels. Project management dashboards consolidate tasks, deadlines, and feedback into central hubs, reducing email back‑and‑forth. Integrate time tracking with invoicing software to generate bills automatically upon task completion. Chatbots on your site can qualify visitors 24/7, booking discovery calls directly onto your calendar.
Strengthening Brand Authority Through Thought Leadership
Authority accelerates trust, decreases price sensitivity, and attracts referral opportunities. Publish long‑form articles dissecting niche challenges and case studies showcasing measurable impact. Appear on podcasts, panels, and virtual summits to share insights with wider audiences. Each public contribution compounds your reputation and funnels warm leads back to your business. Consistency matters more than virality; a steady cadence of value‑oriented content builds enduring credibility.
Expanding Into International Markets
Geographic borders no longer limit client acquisition. Research emerging regions where your skill set commands premium rates due to local talent gaps. Adapt marketing materials to cultural norms and time zones. Offer multi‑currency invoicing and flexible meeting slots to accommodate global collaborations. Familiarize yourself with cross‑border contracts, intellectual property protections, and payment platforms that minimize conversion fees.
Building Strategic Partnerships
Alliances with complementary service providers extend capability and influence. A web developer might partner with a UX researcher, or a marketing strategist with an analytics specialist. Joint proposals tackle larger scopes than solo practitioners can manage, impressing enterprise clients who prefer one point of accountability. Formalize partnerships with written agreements covering lead ownership, revenue splits, and quality standards to prevent misunderstandings.
Creating a Client Success Program
Retention becomes easier when clients perceive continuous value. Develop a post‑launch support package—periodic performance reviews, optimization sprints, or analytics dashboards—that keeps you embedded in their operations. Schedule quarterly business review meetings to analyze outcomes, identify new challenges, and propose next‑phase initiatives. This consultative rhythm positions you as a strategic advisor, not just a vendor completing isolated tasks.
Enhancing Quality Assurance and Risk Management
As project complexity grows, so does risk. Establish quality assurance checkpoints such as peer reviews, staging environments, or user testing sessions before final delivery. Maintain version control systems for digital assets to track changes and roll back errors. Secure professional liability insurance and craft robust contracts detailing scope, timelines, and legal protections. Clearly articulate revision limits and change request protocols to prevent scope creep.
Investing in Continuous Learning and Innovation
A stagnant skill set jeopardizes relevance. Dedicate weekly blocks to professional development: new software certifications, industry research, or experimental side projects. Attend conferences—virtual or in‑person—to absorb emerging methodologies and network with forward‑thinking peers. Innovation often originates from cross‑disciplinary exposure; exploring adjacent fields can inspire novel solutions for existing clients.
Monitoring Key Performance Indicators
Scalability thrives on data‑driven decisions. Track metrics such as lead‑to‑client conversion rate, average project value, client acquisition cost, utilization rate, and net promoter score. Visualize trends in a dashboard and review them monthly. Early detection of downward shifts enables quick corrective action—enhanced marketing, pricing adjustments, or service repositioning.
Balancing Capacity and Well‑Being
Growth that sacrifices personal health is unsustainable. Implement workload caps and enforce downtime rituals—exercise, hobbies, and social connections. Consider adopting a four‑day workweek or batching meetings into designated days to preserve deep‑work windows. If tasks routinely spill into nights or weekends, reallocate responsibilities to your support bench or raise prices to reduce volume without reducing revenue.
Cultivating a Future‑Ready Vision
Long‑term planning safeguards against market shifts and burnout. Outline three‑, five‑, and ten‑year scenarios: independent consultancy, boutique agency, productized service, or full exit through acquisition. Reverse‑engineer milestones required for each path, such as hiring full‑time staff, codifying intellectual property, or courting investors. Periodically revisit your vision to align daily actions with overarching aspirations.
Embracing Freelancing as a Lifelong Path
Many freelancers start their journey out of necessity or curiosity, but over time it becomes a deliberate lifestyle. To sustain freelancing over the long term, it’s important to build a career infrastructure that supports personal and professional growth, financial stability, and emotional well-being. We explore the foundational practices that help freelancers remain resilient, relevant, and rewarded over the years.
Establishing Long-Term Career Vision
Freelancing offers immense flexibility, which can be both liberating and destabilizing. Without a defined career path, it’s easy to drift from project to project without strategic direction. Craft a long-term vision by reflecting on what you want your career to look like in five or ten years. Do you want to become an authority in a niche, publish books, or eventually move into mentoring? Having a vision helps filter opportunities and guide investments of time and energy.
Creating a Sustainable Business Model
A freelance career is a business, and like any business, it requires sustainability. This means having a structure that provides consistent revenue, predictable workloads, and space for rest and creativity. Build systems that minimize overwork, such as recurring client engagements or productized services. Make time for quarterly planning where you assess your offerings, pricing, and marketing strategy to ensure your business remains aligned with your goals and market trends.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
The freelance world can be lonely and unpredictable. Emotional intelligence plays a critical role in managing client relationships, overcoming rejection, and maintaining confidence during quiet periods. Cultivate self-awareness so you can identify triggers of burnout or imposter syndrome. Practice empathy in communication to foster strong, trusting relationships with clients. Resilience grows stronger when it is rooted in emotional maturity.
Establishing Healthy Work-Life Boundaries
When your home is your office, boundaries blur quickly. To avoid burnout, create routines that support a clear separation between work and personal life. Define work hours and protect them with the same discipline you would in a traditional job. Designate a workspace that signals focus, and shut down your devices after hours. Rest is not a luxury; it is a requirement for long-term performance and creativity.
Nurturing a Support System
Freelancing does not have to mean working in isolation. A strong support system can provide both personal encouragement and professional insight. Build connections with fellow freelancers who understand your challenges and can offer perspective or referrals. Engage in mastermind groups or accountability partnerships that help you stay on track with your goals. Surrounding yourself with others on similar journeys reduces stress and fosters collaboration.
Adapting to Economic and Industry Changes
Markets evolve, and so should your freelance strategy. Stay attuned to trends in your industry, whether it’s new technologies, shifting client needs, or emerging platforms. Proactive learning ensures you remain relevant and in demand. When disruptions occur—such as economic downturns or shifts in client budgets—be ready to pivot. This could mean adjusting your offerings, entering new markets, or learning new skills to expand your capabilities.
Creating Financial Safety Nets
Freelance income is often unpredictable. To weather lean months or take time off without stress, build financial buffers. Maintain an emergency fund that covers three to six months of living expenses. Set aside money for taxes and retirement consistently. Explore insurance options, such as health coverage and liability protection, to guard against unforeseen events. Financial stability gives you the freedom to make decisions based on strategy, not desperation.
Cultivating a Reputation for Reliability
One of the most valuable assets in freelancing is your reputation. Clients refer and rehire freelancers they trust. Meet deadlines, communicate clearly, and deliver on promises. Go beyond expectations occasionally, but don’t make it a default that strains your bandwidth. Reliability isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistency and accountability. Protecting your reputation ensures long-term viability in the freelance marketplace.
Documenting and Showcasing Results
Clients value proof of impact. Collect data and testimonials from each project, and turn them into case studies that highlight measurable outcomes. Share these publicly through your website or in private proposals when pitching new business. Demonstrating real results builds trust quickly and differentiates you from competitors who only focus on skills or aesthetics. The ability to tell the story of your work positions you as a results-driven professional.
Building an Evergreen Marketing Engine
Marketing in freelancing is not a one-time effort—it’s a continuous process. Create a marketing plan that balances short-term outreach with long-term brand awareness. Use a mix of content marketing, email campaigns, and social media engagement to keep your pipeline active. Optimize your online presence to make it easy for prospects to understand your services and contact you. Consistency in marketing creates momentum that sustains your business.
Offering Mentorship or Education
As you gain experience, consider giving back through mentorship or educational content. Helping emerging freelancers sharpens your own thinking and positions you as a leader in your space. Host webinars, create resource guides, or participate in industry forums. Beyond the satisfaction of helping others, these activities increase visibility and open new collaboration opportunities.
Evaluating Work-Life Integration
True resilience isn’t about grinding harder—it’s about living better. Periodically assess how your freelance career integrates with your broader life goals. Are you making time for health, relationships, and personal passions? Have you built enough flexibility into your schedule for spontaneous opportunities or extended rest? Work-life integration is dynamic; adapt it as your priorities evolve over time.
Staying Curious and Inspired
Freelancers who stay curious remain vibrant and competitive. Make room for play, exploration, and creative side projects. Follow your intellectual instincts, even if they don’t immediately seem profitable. Attend workshops outside your core field or explore different mediums. Creative renewal is essential for long-term satisfaction and innovation.
Measuring Success on Your Own Terms
Success in freelancing is not one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s a six-figure income; for others, it’s the ability to work part-time while raising a family. Define what success means to you, and periodically revisit that definition as your life changes. Let your metrics of success reflect not just external achievements but internal fulfillment. Measuring progress through your own lens creates a sense of purpose and alignment.
Leaving Room for Reinvention
Your freelance career will evolve. What serves you in your twenties may not suit your thirties or forties. Stay open to reinventing your offerings, niche, or working style. Reinvention is not failure; it is growth. Treat each chapter as a learning phase that builds on the last. This mindset allows you to remain agile and energized, no matter how long you freelance.
Conclusion
Freelancing is more than a job title—it’s a commitment to designing a professional life on your own terms. Across this series, we’ve explored the foundational pillars of success: earning a sustainable income, attracting and retaining the right clients, scaling your business strategically, and developing the resilience to endure over the long term. Together, these elements form a holistic framework that supports both financial achievement and personal fulfillment.
What sets successful freelancers apart isn’t just technical ability. It’s the combination of self-awareness, systems thinking, communication skills, and a willingness to evolve. The most rewarding freelance careers are built with intention—from setting clear goals and identifying ideal clients to adapting offerings and maintaining emotional clarity in the face of uncertainty.
Commitment is the common thread that runs through every stage of this journey. Committing to a clear vision. Committing to continuous learning. Committing to value-based client relationships. And most of all, committing to the idea that your freelance career is a dynamic, living system that grows when it’s nurtured.
You don’t need to chase someone else’s definition of success. By aligning your work with your values, leveraging your strengths, and designing systems that reflect your ideal life, freelancing becomes a deeply sustainable path. It can deliver freedom, impact, and prosperity—but only when approached with clarity, discipline, and resilience. Whether you’re just beginning or years into the journey, remember: freelancing isn’t just a way to work. It’s a way to live.