Learning is something that never ends. And the wise are those who learn from others' experiences.

Sometimes people learn from their mistakes, and sometimes they learn from others. In both cases, if you learn from the mistakes instead of repeating them, you are worth it.

But I read somewhere that "wise learn from other experiences."

In this story, I am going to share my journey through online living. I am sure it will help many newcomers. If you have found this post, you are lucky. You are going to know the directions to follow and a list of dos and don'ts in online living.

The Journey Begins From...

I started freelancing in 2020. At the end of the month of 2020, I got my first project on Guru. I don't remember the exact month or date. However, I can check out the project date on the site and put it here. But it's not important, so I am not leaving my Medium screen for now (feeling lazy). Okay, I was talking about the first project that I won on Guru in the last month of 2020; probably it was September or October.

Before getting the project, I was just seeking out shoes here and there to find one that fit me. By this, I mean getting an opportunity to make a living online. I was introduced to freelancing. I created my account on Fiverr, Guru, Upwork, and Freelancer. I worked on them to get my first project. Some people contacted me on Fiverr to ask me to do work, and then they ran without paying.

I keep searching and exploring new opportunities, along with looking after my freelance account.

Writing site that I get at the same time:

#1. HubPages

Through a search engine, I was introduced to HubPages. I created my account. And expect to make a couple of dollars, as every beginner does. Daydreaming…!

I left the platform soon, and I was attracted to Medium.

Mistake no. 1 revealed: "I left the platform soon...

#2. Medium

Then I found Medium, created my account, and posted some low-quality articles. I called them an article, though the quality was not worth calling them an article. but I was happy to write. I feel like a pro. Seeing something published under my name was another level of excitement. I feel like a writer. Before that, I never saw anything published on the internet with my name. As I was new to the online world, it felt like an achievement.

Medium seemed different. The very next day, I saw that I made $0.01 or $0.02. This money is worth nothing. but it brings happiness at the moment. When I first saw it, my dashboard looked different—from 0.00 to 0.01 dollars. Digits changes. The change in digits, even if it's $0.01, gives me hope and confidence. Medium seemed like a beacon of hope. The only few days I spent on Medium were spent writing stuff, and I won my first project on Guru. (Flashback to the first section)

Mistake no. 2: I stopped paying attention to Medium as I got a potential project on Guru

• The project I won on Guru was worth it

#Freelancing

As my freelance journey began amazingly, I turned my full attention to it. But later, once I went through the downsides of freelancing, I thought about what to do. I explore, I learn, and I recall my journey. I recall my mistakes.

Mistake# 3: Becoming 100% confident in freelancing without considering other sources of income and not acknowledging the importance of blogging and independent blogs (websites).

What have I learned from my entire journey?

✔️Freelancing has its downside. Relying totally on freelancing is not a wise decision.

✔️Blogging is far better than freelancing if you succeed in it but it requires dedication.

✔️Working on multiple things side by side could prove beneficial but if you are consistent.

✔️Quiting blogging on HubPages too early was not good. If I had worked and established my blog there, it might also generate income.

✔️Medium is a great and amazing platform for blogging. I should be focused on it until the first day. However, I am persistent on Medium now.

✔️Solely, blogging on a writing site is not a wise decision. One must have a website. Because these platforms are not your property, what's next? Nobody knows.

✔️Learning new skills and expanding your expertise is important.

✔️For successful freelancing, networking is important. For that, LinkedIn is the best choice.

✔️Other than blogging or freelancing one should try to establish a small online business.

✔️Go with the flow: Adapt yourself as per platform policies as in the past few years Fiverr and Upwork changed a lot.

Wrapping Up

Nothing is impossible, but it could be difficult. With dedication, hard and smart work, you can reach your goals. Hard work is a must, but smart work is also key. Make sure smart work doesn't mean something wrong; it means moving wisely and strategically.

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© Mahnoor Writes

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