This will upset some people, but I am going to say it because it will help some people too.
The reason why you haven’t succeeded and aren’t seeing any progress in your online career is probably that you are not doing enough.
I know, everyone likes to say, “I am doing everything, and it is just not working.” For some people, that is true, but I have come to learn that a lot of people are just not doing enough.
I saw someone’s comment on YouTube today on a video I did about building a portfolio that will help you get hired, and the commenter asked, “Can I get the testimonials from AI?”
I responded with “Absolutely not,” and I thought to myself, this is exactly why so many people stay stuck.
And I see this very regularly: beginners cutting corners, taking shortcuts, finding all the ways to put as little effort as possible. I even saw multiple beginners use AI-generated video testimonials on their portfolios, and they are probably wondering why they aren’t getting any responses from clients.
And the answer is simple: you are presenting yourself as someone serious clients will absolutely avoid. A fake testimonial doesn’t make you look experienced. It makes you look dishonest, and once a client thinks you are dishonest, nothing else on your portfolio matters.
Even if you are doing everything right, it takes time and a lot of effort to figure things out. What if you are putting in as little effort as possible?
If you read up to this point, then I am confident you are someone willing to listen to constructive criticism, and this is my advice to you: you have 2 options to choose from.
One, decide that an online career isn’t for you. That is okay. Not everyone needs to build a career online, and there is no shame in choosing a different path.
Two, decide to do whatever is necessary to succeed. In my experience, the easiest way to do things rarely produces a good result. Be willing to do the uncomfortable things. Stop only learning and consuming content and put yourself out there, create your ideal client avatar, and start reaching out to those potential clients wherever they are.
And if you are thinking, “I have been doing this a while and still haven’t found a client,” then answer this question: how many potential clients have you reached out to in the last 7 days?
If you reached out to 10 and got no response, maybe you need to reach out to 20 or 50.
And if you reached out to zero, then maybe now is a good time to start.
You don’t have to figure out everything from the start. If you are willing to learn in the process, then it is just a matter of time before you become good enough at it to find the right clients.
That is how I became good at everything I am good at. Not through only learning and thinking about it or planning, but by actually doing the thing, making mistakes, sometimes embarrassing mistakes, and getting better eventually.
So be honest with yourself: how many potential clients did you reach out to in the last 7 days?
Cheers 🥂
