Congrats Anna. I'm sure it's not all glamour and glitter, but the life you describe is something I'm working toward, and something I think many people would love to hear more about:
What worked, what didn't and some advice for someone who wants to live on their own terms.
Although I do enjoy my job as an engineer, it's hard to beat a self-employed career that is fulfilling...
I don't know exactly why, but I really enjoy reading your writing! keep it up.
It's definitely not glitz and glam nor is it an easy path to take (but then again, I believe that anything worth doing has a degree of hard to it).
I've got a wholeeeeee big piece half-written about the challenges I've faced building a portfolio career: constantly hustling for new clients and projects, navigating how to set my rates, the loneliness that comes with being a solo operator...the list goes on. It'll be coming in the next few weeks 😊
It is so tough to find the center of the money, creativity, freedom and purpose Venn diagram. So happy to hear you have accomplished it (for now). Gives the rest of us hope.
Relating hard, all the way down to the late night voice memo. It’s wild to admit but I’ve always carried some shame around my many pivots, and wondered why I can’t just be content with one, steady thing. I still feel this way at times as I navigate a big pivotal unfolding in real time, recognizing it as a gift. And noticing how each one somehow brings you closer to the truth of who you are. At least in that moment in time :)
Yes, someone listened to my late night ramblings!! Haha
I feel you and sometimes I'm like, how many pivots is too many pivots?! But I think that it ultimately is a good sign as it means we're following our curiosity, and passions, and evolving priorities.
A lot of creatives that hate being tied down to one thing tend to feel shame around pivoting, so you’re not alone! It’s due to the society we live in now, which praises “specialization” and choosing a “niche”.
Back in Renaissance times, however, people were applauded for having many interests!
Pivoting, and following your curiosity is —in my opinion— a sign of growth! ☘️ It means you’re paying attention, even if just on an intuitive level! 😉
(note: I’ll be sharing a post this week all about following our curiosity!)
I feel like the modern work structure of 5 days of clocking in and out 9-5 makes no sense?! Like….what? Of course fulltime is great for some people but the rigidity of it just doesn’t compute for me. Follow your curiosity and passions, all day everyday!
This post makes me incredibly happy and hopeful to read. You beautifully show what is possible but also, that "ditching traditional" also comes with embracing change and uncertainty as certain constants.
I quit corporate to venture into the world of academic research. However, I realise, I did so by also embarking on a unique way into a portfolio career to-be. Like working freelance consulting, small translation jobs, experimenting with photography and content, now working on different puzzle pieces of research and I know whatever is next, it will be a beautiful and unique mix which feels true to myself and my current life.
So true!!! And we want to be more in control of our success, have our own niche where we can have ownership, in "traditional employment" it’s so random I feel like… 🤷♀️
I think that there's nothing wrong with traditional employment per se, and that a lot of people thrive within that type of work structure. But it's not right for everyone, and I think a lot of people are starting to realise there's another way.
Just found your stack and so glad I stumbled into when I did! Am starting to carve out my own place in the world and hearing stories like yours keep me going :)
Anna! I've just binged all 4 parts of this series on a portfolio career and came back here to drop this comment. I've spent the last 18 months building a portfolio career and it's something I hadn't had language sticky enough to describe until coming across your posts, so thank you! Portfolio is significantly better than fractional...
And, the same is actually true for how my partner & I are approaching our household income (and many other young parents we know). We have 5 different income streams between us - a stable part-time position, our own creative pursuits (performance coaching for me, photography for her) and then we two other projects we work on together. It sounds complicated to some but it affords us stability, to parent the way we want to and time in projects that feed our hearts and souls. I see many other young parents doing the same so I think there's an offshoot of this portfolio career idea that's a perfectly doable alternative to traditional single income/dual income households - albeit maybe not for everyone but for the bold and willing it's a beautiful life.
This is quickly turning into a novel BUT I wanted to share it because I think you've inadvertently coined a new term - the portfolio household income (probably some stickier language for that but we'll get there!). Thank you for sharing your words - so glad I stumbled across them.
Haha thanks for binging! I didn't come up with the term Portfolio Career but it's kinda wild to me that it's not something that's used more broadly to explain this type of work structure. It's weird you mentioned the Portfolio Household Income too, because it's been something I've been thinking about a lot - how the 'Portfolio' mentality expands to other areas of life too:
- A portfolio career
- A portfolio of income
- A portfolio of interests
- A portfolio life, where work and earning is just one slice of the pie
There's something in it that I'm keen to keep exploring!
So glad we connected and thanks for the message, it's hugely motivating and encouraging hearing feedback like this 💗
PS. sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you, I've just been on holiday in Japan and only landed back in Aus yesterday 😊
Haha after I got my degree, I was working in acct for big law firms, then I got sick of it and went into fraud for a few months, got moved to recruiting randomly by the start up I was working for. All this was happening in my 30s. So restarting careers was interesting and most of my friends are like wtf hahah. Theeeen layoffs happened, and I was like fuck it, let's do what I actually love, which is writing and I started my career in freelancing. Went from making lots of money to no money. I'm sure the money will come but rn, I'm just enjoying building it all up!
This is one of the best posts I've taken time to read in a very long time. Not only relatable, but informative. I learned something. Thank you Anna - you have inspired me.
Definitely give the audio a crack! I had a lot of feedback from readers they prefer to listen, otherwise they sometimes skimmed, so I started adding the voiceover. Give the people what they want!
Enjoyed listening to this episode and resonated with every second of it! It thrills me to know that there are people out there defying the odds and not conforming to typical ways of doing and being.
Leaving my full-time tech career has given me the space to explore my curiosity and topics of interest. Additionally, given me the space to see myself...sometimes it is difficult, other times it's a walk in the park. haha
I absolutely resonate and relate! There is leaving old structures and old paradigms, grieving the loss of what we had and who we were…and then setting sail into the horizon, uncertain of where we’ll arrive.
It’s terrifying! I’ve never been reminded of the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell this often until this phase of my life.
Also, as you shared in your post (I’m paraphrasing here), do we set a path for ourselves or sell our souls to organizations and people who are peddling their own or other people’s agendas?
About to hit 19 years as a self-employed business writer. Once you shatter the mold and break outside the box, it's hard to go back in. I can't even comprehend a traditional career anymore.
It's obvious you're also proud of the challenges that come with online biz, and that's why I liked this so much. I'm in the season of appreciating challenges, and actually seeking them out so that I can grow and provide massive value myself.
Seeking out challenges is such an amazing quality. It’s taken me many years but I certainly now see them as good things, whereas before my default position was that they were bad and to avoided at all costs!
Congrats Anna. I'm sure it's not all glamour and glitter, but the life you describe is something I'm working toward, and something I think many people would love to hear more about:
What worked, what didn't and some advice for someone who wants to live on their own terms.
Although I do enjoy my job as an engineer, it's hard to beat a self-employed career that is fulfilling...
I don't know exactly why, but I really enjoy reading your writing! keep it up.
It's definitely not glitz and glam nor is it an easy path to take (but then again, I believe that anything worth doing has a degree of hard to it).
I've got a wholeeeeee big piece half-written about the challenges I've faced building a portfolio career: constantly hustling for new clients and projects, navigating how to set my rates, the loneliness that comes with being a solo operator...the list goes on. It'll be coming in the next few weeks 😊
It is so tough to find the center of the money, creativity, freedom and purpose Venn diagram. So happy to hear you have accomplished it (for now). Gives the rest of us hope.
It's possible 💗
Relating hard, all the way down to the late night voice memo. It’s wild to admit but I’ve always carried some shame around my many pivots, and wondered why I can’t just be content with one, steady thing. I still feel this way at times as I navigate a big pivotal unfolding in real time, recognizing it as a gift. And noticing how each one somehow brings you closer to the truth of who you are. At least in that moment in time :)
Yes, someone listened to my late night ramblings!! Haha
I feel you and sometimes I'm like, how many pivots is too many pivots?! But I think that it ultimately is a good sign as it means we're following our curiosity, and passions, and evolving priorities.
A lot of creatives that hate being tied down to one thing tend to feel shame around pivoting, so you’re not alone! It’s due to the society we live in now, which praises “specialization” and choosing a “niche”.
Back in Renaissance times, however, people were applauded for having many interests!
Pivoting, and following your curiosity is —in my opinion— a sign of growth! ☘️ It means you’re paying attention, even if just on an intuitive level! 😉
(note: I’ll be sharing a post this week all about following our curiosity!)
I feel like the modern work structure of 5 days of clocking in and out 9-5 makes no sense?! Like….what? Of course fulltime is great for some people but the rigidity of it just doesn’t compute for me. Follow your curiosity and passions, all day everyday!
Wholely agree! I am not made for the 9-to-5!
We’re following very similar paths, it seems!
This post makes me incredibly happy and hopeful to read. You beautifully show what is possible but also, that "ditching traditional" also comes with embracing change and uncertainty as certain constants.
I quit corporate to venture into the world of academic research. However, I realise, I did so by also embarking on a unique way into a portfolio career to-be. Like working freelance consulting, small translation jobs, experimenting with photography and content, now working on different puzzle pieces of research and I know whatever is next, it will be a beautiful and unique mix which feels true to myself and my current life.
A+ as always! Add to things to talk about on the 23rd!
We now have a rolling agenda and I love it
So true!!! And we want to be more in control of our success, have our own niche where we can have ownership, in "traditional employment" it’s so random I feel like… 🤷♀️
I think that there's nothing wrong with traditional employment per se, and that a lot of people thrive within that type of work structure. But it's not right for everyone, and I think a lot of people are starting to realise there's another way.
Just found your stack and so glad I stumbled into when I did! Am starting to carve out my own place in the world and hearing stories like yours keep me going :)
Thank you! It’s so lovely to have you here ❤️
Anna! I've just binged all 4 parts of this series on a portfolio career and came back here to drop this comment. I've spent the last 18 months building a portfolio career and it's something I hadn't had language sticky enough to describe until coming across your posts, so thank you! Portfolio is significantly better than fractional...
And, the same is actually true for how my partner & I are approaching our household income (and many other young parents we know). We have 5 different income streams between us - a stable part-time position, our own creative pursuits (performance coaching for me, photography for her) and then we two other projects we work on together. It sounds complicated to some but it affords us stability, to parent the way we want to and time in projects that feed our hearts and souls. I see many other young parents doing the same so I think there's an offshoot of this portfolio career idea that's a perfectly doable alternative to traditional single income/dual income households - albeit maybe not for everyone but for the bold and willing it's a beautiful life.
This is quickly turning into a novel BUT I wanted to share it because I think you've inadvertently coined a new term - the portfolio household income (probably some stickier language for that but we'll get there!). Thank you for sharing your words - so glad I stumbled across them.
Hey Jesse,
Haha thanks for binging! I didn't come up with the term Portfolio Career but it's kinda wild to me that it's not something that's used more broadly to explain this type of work structure. It's weird you mentioned the Portfolio Household Income too, because it's been something I've been thinking about a lot - how the 'Portfolio' mentality expands to other areas of life too:
- A portfolio career
- A portfolio of income
- A portfolio of interests
- A portfolio life, where work and earning is just one slice of the pie
There's something in it that I'm keen to keep exploring!
So glad we connected and thanks for the message, it's hugely motivating and encouraging hearing feedback like this 💗
PS. sorry it's taken me a while to get back to you, I've just been on holiday in Japan and only landed back in Aus yesterday 😊
I'm relating so hard with this rn. Down to the age haha. Pivoted so much in my entire career and now i'm just carving my own path. Fuck tradition.
Hah really?! What happened/is happening for you at 35??
Haha after I got my degree, I was working in acct for big law firms, then I got sick of it and went into fraud for a few months, got moved to recruiting randomly by the start up I was working for. All this was happening in my 30s. So restarting careers was interesting and most of my friends are like wtf hahah. Theeeen layoffs happened, and I was like fuck it, let's do what I actually love, which is writing and I started my career in freelancing. Went from making lots of money to no money. I'm sure the money will come but rn, I'm just enjoying building it all up!
The money will come, stay the course!
This is one of the best posts I've taken time to read in a very long time. Not only relatable, but informative. I learned something. Thank you Anna - you have inspired me.
Thank you so much for the feedback 🥹
Variety is the spice of life. I am fully on board with this movement.
Great choice adding the audio version, by the way! Might have to try that out for myself.
Definitely give the audio a crack! I had a lot of feedback from readers they prefer to listen, otherwise they sometimes skimmed, so I started adding the voiceover. Give the people what they want!
Enjoyed listening to this episode and resonated with every second of it! It thrills me to know that there are people out there defying the odds and not conforming to typical ways of doing and being.
Leaving my full-time tech career has given me the space to explore my curiosity and topics of interest. Additionally, given me the space to see myself...sometimes it is difficult, other times it's a walk in the park. haha
It’s hard trying to forge a new path for myself, but it’s worth it despite the inevitable pain and suffering 😅
I absolutely resonate and relate! There is leaving old structures and old paradigms, grieving the loss of what we had and who we were…and then setting sail into the horizon, uncertain of where we’ll arrive.
It’s terrifying! I’ve never been reminded of the Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campbell this often until this phase of my life.
Also, as you shared in your post (I’m paraphrasing here), do we set a path for ourselves or sell our souls to organizations and people who are peddling their own or other people’s agendas?
About to hit 19 years as a self-employed business writer. Once you shatter the mold and break outside the box, it's hard to go back in. I can't even comprehend a traditional career anymore.
19 years wow, congrats!!
It's obvious you're also proud of the challenges that come with online biz, and that's why I liked this so much. I'm in the season of appreciating challenges, and actually seeking them out so that I can grow and provide massive value myself.
Seeking out challenges is such an amazing quality. It’s taken me many years but I certainly now see them as good things, whereas before my default position was that they were bad and to avoided at all costs!
It's almost unreal how much challenges "fade" away once you accept them for what they are. It's a simple switch but hard for so many. Thank you Anna!
Love this! Can’t wait to follow along with the rest of the series!
Thanks Connor 😄