Hit 200 freelance projects last month and it felt... empty

I hit 200 completed freelance graphic design projects last month. Everyone told me I'd feel this big sense of accomplishment, but honestly I just felt tired. The milestones people hype up don't really matter as much as the day-to-day work you actually enjoy. Has anyone else hit a number they thought would be a big deal but it just wasn't?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_cameron17d ago

nah but see thats exactly the point. milestones are arbitrary numbers we make up. 200 projects doesnt mean youve leveled up, it means you did 200 projects. @david920 same deal with that 50k. its just a number on a screen. the real value is in the actual work and the clients you helped along the way. but also lets be real if you hit 200 and felt nothing you probably didnt set a goal that actually mattered to you. maybe you needed 200 projects that paid a certain amount or let you work with certain types of brands. without that context the number is meaningless.

david92017d ago

Hit 50k in sales last year and barely felt a thing.

maryr4317d ago

And that's the thing @the_cameron is getting at - you gotta attach a real feeling to the number, not just the number itself. For me it was when I hit 100 projects I sat down and realized I was taking any gig that came my way. Burned myself out on 50 dollar logos and never took time to actually enjoy the work. Once I started saying no to stuff that drained me and yes to projects that pushed my skills, that's when I actually felt like I hit something. What kind of work are you doing now - is it stuff that lights you up or just keeps the bills paid?