How Sarah Went From Struggling Writer to Six-Figure Freelancer

The Solopreneur’s Dilemma

Sarah was stuck. As a passionate writer, she had dreamed of ditching her 9-to-5 desk job to freelance full-time. But after two years of working nights and weekends to build her freelance business, she was still struggling to land enough quality clients to make the leap.

She had all the usual solopreneur woes – constant self-doubt, pricing her services too low, taking on soul-crushing projects just to pay the bills. Sarah knew she had the skills to succeed, but something was keeping her from that six-figure freelance writing career she craved.

That’s when she discovered the real battle – it was happening between her ears.

The Mindset Shift That Changed Everything

Sarah joined an online community of freelance writers where she met Liz, a powerhouse who had rapidly built a wildly profitable writing business in just two years. When Sarah asked how Liz had blown up her career so quickly, the answer went deeper than just tactics and strategies.

Liz shared 20 mindset secrets she wished she had known before starting her freelance writing journey. Sarah devoured the insights and committed to overhauling her mental approach. Here are the top 10 mindset shifts that ultimately unlocked Sarah’s six-figure freelance potential:

1. Celebrate Every Small Victory
Instead of fixating on the big “work from a beach” dream, Sarah learned to appreciate smaller milestones. Every client inquiry, every published piece, and every positive piece of feedback became a motivating win instead of something trivial. Embracing “small victories” gave her the momentum to keep going.

2. Let Go of Perfectionism
As a lifelong perfectionist, Sarah used to agonize over every word until her work was utterly flawless. Liz helped her realize that not only is “perfect” impossible -, but letting go of that mindset is crucial for rapid growth. Sarah started putting herself out there more, accepting feedback, and incrementally improving over time.

3. Think of Other Writers as Allies, Not Rivals
Competitive mindsets have no place in freelancing. Once Sarah started networking with other writers as friends, career opportunities began opening up. Experienced freelancers were happy to pass overflow work to Sarah once they trusted her abilities. An “alliance” approach gave her access to more clients.

4. Specialize to Stand Out
The most successful freelance writers aren’t generalists – they niche down and become recognized experts. Looking at her interests, Sarah found her unique “sweet spot” in combining travel writing with social media marketing. She rebranded as a “travel & tourism content marketer” and suddenly had a powerful edge over the competition.

5. Write Every Day, No Exceptions
There’s one habit that separates professional writers from hobbyists: writing daily, even if it’s just 500 words. During inevitable lulls, Sarah would return to this simple discipline. Consistently exercising her writing muscles kept her skills sharp and built long-term momentum.

6. Have Patience – Success Takes Time
Thanks to the Internet’s highlight reel, it’s easy for solopreneurs to feel like everyone else “blew up” overnight. Liz reminded Sarah that every successful writer invested years of hard work obscured from view. With more realistic expectations, Sarah chipped away every day instead of waiting for instant riches.

7. Balance Passion Projects with Paychecks
The most lucrative freelance writing jobs are often dull corporate work, while the most glamorous gigs can be unpaid. Sarah learned to strive for a mix – taking higher-paid but dry assignments to keep the cash flow going while sprinkling in lower-paying “passion projects” for portfolio value and personal fulfilment.

8. Plan for Productivity Slumps
Periods of burnout and procrastination are inevitable for any solopreneur. But instead of beating herself up, Sarah proactively made a “slump plan” to re-centre herself through writing routines, networking, and healthy habits. Having this roadmap will help her recover and drive faster.

9. Stay Consistent Above All Else
Consistency trumps all other factors for freelance success. While Sarah’s initial enthusiasm would inevitably ebb and flow, Liz encouraged her to take action every single day – even if just 10 minutes of work. This persistence paid dividends, as little by little her business grew stronger.

10. Adopt an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Finally, Sarah had to change how she viewed her role from “freelance writer” to “entrepreneurial business owner.” She thought strategically about branding, service offerings, value propositions and sales funnels. Seeing freelancing as a business instead of a casual gig made all the difference.

The Six-Figure Solopreneur Lifestyle

Embracing Liz’s 20 mindset secrets for freelance writers completely transformed Sarah’s approach to her business. Within two years of implementing the strategies above, she was able to walk away from her corporate job and go full-time as a six-figure freelance writer.

More importantly, she gained something even more valuable – a solopreneur lifestyle of freedom and flexibility. Sarah now works from home, in coffee shops, or wherever her laptop and Wi-Fi enable her. She’s finally in control of her income, schedule, and creative energy.

While the tactics like finding clients, setting rates and managing her workload were critical – it was first overhauling her mindset that ultimately unlocked Sarah’s freelance potential. Her success as a solopreneur stemmed from having the right mental focus, motivation, and entrepreneurial perspective.

Source: This case study was inspired by critical insights from the video “10 Mindset Secrets from a Six-Figure Freelance Writer” by Sean Ogle and his guest, Liz.

However, the writing, examples and storyline are original.