Collaborative or competitive?

When you’re a freelancer, you’re responsible for finding all of your work. And if you’re not working, you’re not getting paid. So it can get pretty competitive, right?

Well, yes and no. There are times where the industry can seem a bit competitive. When you’re applying for a job and you notice that 200 other people are applying, sure there’s some stiff competition.

But what about on LinkedIn? Are you competitive with the people you meet along the way? Or are you collaborating? Is there one way that’s better than the other?

Let’s dive in. If you need more information on mindset shifts, you can find them in the course.

Competition

When you’re competing with your peers, it means you’re not giving out any leads. It also means you’re not answering questions or sharing resources with them. It may put you ahead in the short-term, but you may run into problems further down the line.

Pros and Cons

If you choose to be competitive, it means you don’t ever have to worry about

sharing leads or resources. Your resources are your own. Sometimes that will be just enough to give you the edge on a job. In some scenarios, there’s only room for 1-2 new writers. If you’re sharing a lead with other writers, they may pick them over you.

A major setback with the competitive lifestyle is that you are completely on your own. Every question you have, you’ll need to find through a Google search. Sometimes that’s just not the most accurate way to get information.

Collaborating

Does collaboration mean giving up all your leads? Not necessarily. You can build a network of colleagues you trust without compromising your workflow. And it may just benefit you in the future.

Pros and Cons

Collaboration opens you to sharing and receiving resources and leads from

your peers. This is a two-way street. People will always remember who helped them in the past. And they’ll send leads your way. It also offers you a chance to get the inside scoop on some topics. Unsure if a publication is a good one to work for? Don’t know what a type of deliverable looks like? When you’re collaborative with your colleagues, you can ask these questions.

When you’re collaborating, you open the opportunity to someone taking your lead. Or, overwhelming you with questions. Sometimes, if you recommend someone for a job, and they’re a bad fit, it could look bad on you. It helps when you vet who you collaborate with to make sure they’re a good fit for your close network.

Balance

You should try to strike a balance between collaborating and competing. Do we need work to survive? Yes, of course we do. But can we possibly take on every single project we come across? No, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. Instead, send them to your close colleagues. They’ll remember you the next time a job posts up and pass the favor your way.

That being said, you don’t have to send leads to every random person that messages you on LinkedIn. If someone just introduces themselves and then instantly asks for a contact, they aren’t your colleague. They’re just trying to use you for your resources. It’s okay to pass on these people. This is where a dash of competitive nature is okay. Know when to collaborate and when to politely say “no thank you” and move on.

My Personal Journey from Competitive to Collaborative

I choose to lead a collaborative lifestyle in my writing career. I find it more conducive to my personality, and it has helped me get ahead time after time. I started off competitive, and it only got me so far. I didn’t last long in that mindset. ‘

Because I was competitive, I was also only interacting with other, competitive people. People who were only out for themselves. They were nit-picky and some of them were borderline aggressive in my feed.

I bought my first course from a competitive person in my early days. They started out friendly enough, but soon turned sour after I bought her course. She started commenting on all my posts trying to poke holes in my reasoning. Finally,

she made a rude post calling out if I was even a writer. I knew then I had to block her and switch to a collaborative mindset. Being competitive was not serving me, and it was just attracting unhelpful people.

When I switched over to a collaborative mindset, I found that I attracted the same type of mindset. Suddenly, people were sending me extra leads. People were recommending courses and webinars that they thought would be helpful.

Now, when I have a question about a potential client, I can ask my colleagues. Or If I don’t know what to charge, I can see what my close confidants are charging. And I make sure that I’m always giving information in exchange.

It’s true what they say: Your vibe attracts your tribe. Do you want to attract people who are only out for themselves? Or do you want to surround yourself with helpful people who want you to succeed? It seems like a no brainer to me.

Summary

Try to strike a balance between being competitive and collaborative. Don’t give away every single secret to everyone. But make sure you’re creating lasting relationships with people within your field. You can do this by giving information and resources without expecting anything in return.

People remember when the same person comes back time and time again asking for something. They also remember the person that offers them help when they need it. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you’re aware that you’ll be leaving a lasting impression on people. These people are your colleagues, and you may be working alongside them for years to come.

We got over mindset shifts and more in the course.