Your 2025 Vision for Your Freelance Business
I don’t know about you, but for me, January is an exciting time of the year. I get a clean slate — and the possibilities at this moment seem unlimited.
When the previous year came to an end, my mind went something like this:
- Amazement — wow, where did the time go (again)?
- Fear — I don’t have much work booked for the next year yet, am I going to make it?
- Excitement — the slate is almost clean, let’s plan for something amazing!
Well, OK, if doesn’t quite look that linear. But the point is, I’m a firm believer in setting goals for the upcoming year. Typically, I do this in December. But if you haven’t done this yet, it’s not too late. Just use my recommended steps below.
Not all freelancers do this, for various reasons. But, as I wrote in my book, there’s something “magical” about writing down intentions.
Maybe it’s the subconscious mind working out the problems. Maybe it’s the universe working on my behalf. The mechanics don’t matter — what matters is that without a vision or goals, I would simply float through my year aimlessly, just going through the motions of taking on whatever projects come along.
Last year, part of my vision was to start developing a “side hustle”— a secondary business that’s totally different from my content marketing for tech clients. (Boom! I recently posted my first article on my new Substack newsletter, From Art 2 Zen. I have a loooong way to go before it becomes a side business, but I wouldn’t be this far if it weren’t part of my vision).
The year before, one of my goals was to write a book. (Yay! The Freelancer’s Compass was born. After forever, I can finally take publishing a book off my bucket list.)
I think you get the idea. Your vision is essentially a wishlist for your business.
But not a pie-in-the-sky, “someday I want to fly to the moon” type of wishlist.
Rather, this is a list of things you can achieve, even if you have to stretch and push yourself to get there (and especially if you have to stretch and push yourself).
A vision doesn’t have to be a manifesto pages and pages long. All you need is a page or two describing how you see your business in the next 12 months.
Then, go a step farther and add a few goals. Some people are big on using the SMART system (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) but I like to keep things simple. For me, goals are really just a sublist that dives into a few specifics of what I want or need to achieve to support my vision.
So, if you haven’t done this before, I challenge you to give it a try. It’s highly satisfying to imagine the possibilities for yourself — and just as satisfying to look back through the list at the end of the year and marvel at all the things you made come true.
How to Go About Your Vision and Goal
1. Do some preplanning.
Schedule some time when you can work without interruptions and distractions. Ideally, at least a couple of hours. (I aim for at least four because I don’t want to rush through, and sometimes for an entire day to dive even deeper.)
If you can, find a space that’s not your office. A change of scenery breaks up your routine and can help you focus.
Gather up your resources. Whether it’s a goal setting or visioning framework, a list of questions, or something else, know ahead of time what’s going to guide your session — so you can plunge right in.
2. Start with self-reflection.
Before you look to the future, it helps to know where you are today. Think back at your past year and ask yourself questions like:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- What were your biggest accomplishments?
- What did you not get done that you really wanted to?
- What brought you the biggest joy (excitement, fulfillment, etc.)?
If you’re just starting out or haven’t freelanced for a full year, that’s OK. You can still reflect on the kind of work that fulfills you, etc., and use that as a starting point for your next step.
3. Think ‘holistically.’
Forgive me the jargon for a second. I just want to emphasize that this process is not for simply deciding what kind of work you want to do and how much of it.
I’m super-big on knowing my monthly and quarterly earning goals and tracking them. So I go through my spreadsheet every year to set “bottom line” and stretch goals. But I’ve learned that my income goals are only a small part of my vision. And I can’t measure my success based solely on these metrics.
This year, my coach challenged me to start at the beginning, with my values, and build all the way through how I’m going to make more time for joy in my personal life. Oof. We’ll see how that one goes.
Ready to create some excitement about your new year? Go schedule the time to take the time.
Cheers to an amazing 2025!
P.S. Did I inspire you to create your Vision 2025 statement? Drop me a line — I’d love to hear from you.
