Small mental shifts that can make a big difference in your earning journey.
I’m starting a new series, “Strive & Earn” where I’ll share some tips and ideas that will help you to earn and succeed. Before diving into freelancing platforms, side hustles, or online income ideas, let’s pause for a moment.
Earning, especially when you’re just starting out, takes more than just tips and tools. It takes mindset. Because how you think affects how you take action, how you handle challenges, and how long you stay in the game.
Here are five mindset shifts that can help you build a healthier, more sustainable approach to earning:
Done is better than perfect.
You’ll be tempted to wait until your profile, portfolio, or product is just right. But the truth is: starting messy is better than never starting at all. You’ll learn way more by doing. There are so many things I didn’t start because of this. I didn’t start my journey as a freelancer because I thought I don’t have the knowledge or skills to do anything, people are doing better than me, why will someone hire a newbie like me? Etc. I do have skills, but they are not as good or polished as other people out there. Don’t let this mindset stop you from trying your luck. I’m here to share my knowledge and mistakes that I made so that you can benefit from them. I can’t start my freelancing journey now because I’m working on this website and other few projects, but if that’s the direction you want to go in, my advice to you is to start today. Take your first step today. And if you don’t want to get into freelancing, no worries, I have other earning ideas for you to try. I will share them in the future articles.
Start small. Improve as you go.
Everyone starts at zero.
It’s easy to compare yourself to others who are earning well or getting clients consistently. But remember: they started where you are now. You’re just at a different chapter in your story.
Focus on progress, not comparison.
Consistency > Hustling hard once in a while.
You don’t need to work 10 hours a day to succeed. You just need to show up regularly, even if it’s for 30 minutes a day. A steady effort builds real momentum. No matter how small, progress is progress. Don’t abandon your dreams and expect them to flourish. You have to put in effort every single day, no matter how small it is.
Tiny steps add up more than giant leaps.
Your value isn’t tied to your income.
When you’re not making much yet, it can feel like your work has no worth. But your value is in your effort, your learning, and your persistence. Money will follow, but don’t let it define you. It has been almost a year I started my online earning journey and trust me I have not made a good amount of money. Just a little bit here and there. In fact, I know I still won’t be able to make proper money for at least a few months. This is the phase of learning and hard work. It can last for more than a year in some cases, so please be patient and don’t give up!
You are valuable, even before the results show.
You don’t have to do it all.
There are so many options out there; YouTube, blogging, freelancing, printables, affiliate marketing, reselling… It’s okay to start with one thing. Trying everything at once only leads to burnout (talking from experience). When I first started my research on online earning, I was so motivated and inspired that I stepped into every boat I saw. Did I gain anything? No. I was so overwhelmed and confused that I failed at everything. My brain used to have hundreds of tabs open, and I couldn’t focus on anything. Then slowly I learned from my mistakes and I still continue to struggle because I still have a lot of things to focus on, but I removed the projects that were not working for me, and now I am learning to give equal time and energy to all the remaining projects. Learn from my mistakes and start with a thing or two and give it your all.
Focus on one path. Explore more later.
Earning money with intention isn’t about rushing. It’s about showing up, learning, and growing at your own pace. You’ve got this, and I’ll be here sharing what I learn along the way.
Stay tuned for the next post in the Strive & Earn series!
