It is possible: to build a career and keep your freedom
The woman who knows how to hack a happy life when you have a bad day, prefers to talk about a way of thinking rather than mindset, and does no-nonsense coaching. Adeline called Kelly Weekers to find out how to build a career while still maintaining that freedom.
Kelly, making a career in freedom is, I think, the dream of every millennial. Where should we start?
‘It starts with framing very well. What does freedom mean to you? For one person, freedom is working from your laptop in Bali, for another, it’s picking up your kids from school at four in the afternoon and flexibly organizing your work without stress. Freedom is mainly about determining what is so important in your career and personal life. Earning a lot of money doesn’t have to be the most important thing, for example. Personally, flexibility gives me a lot of freedom, so that’s what I mainly focus on.’
You might be the first person I ever heard talk about the right way of thinking aka mindset. Why is this so important?
‘You can have a super good strategy, invest a lot of money, be visible and advertise, but just like everything in life, your mindset is the driving force. You can think you’re going to do so many things, but if you don’t believe it, doubt it, or think it won’t work, then it won’t. You are the catalyst for your success or your freedom. If you imprint in your mind that you are always available for clients and that they can call, text, and email you day and night, then you create no freedom for yourself. Instead, determine: I am the expert, I am customer-friendly, and at those moments or in that session, you can brainstorm with me. It works the same way with raising your prices. In my coaching, I don’t aim for immediately asking three times as much, but I do think it’s important that the prices match the expertise of the provider. Entrepreneurs often ask for low prices. Not because they think they aren’t worth it, but because they don’t dare to ask for more. We put our doubts about ourselves into our careers or our businesses. This sabotages your freedom. The right mindset is super important. Just look at sports: talent takes you far, but the right mindset ensures exceptional performance.’
Your first book is about a no-nonsense way of thinking for a more enjoyable life. How does that work?
‘Life is full of ups and downs and is far from perfect. If you have a no-nonsense way of thinking, you accept that problems will come your way. On Instagram, you only see people who are happy, in love, and have a nice life. You can’t avoid ups and downs, but you have to enjoy it despite those things. Tackle it, get through it. It just saves so much hassle. How important are many things really? Is everything going wrong with your work? Fuck it, that’s part of it. Do others think something of you? What does it matter? As long as it makes you happy and works for you and your family. We are often so busy looking at the picture created by other people or what is expected by others. I sometimes hear young women of 26 say: I don’t have a steady relationship yet, I don’t live together yet, I don’t have children yet. But what do you think of this picture? Who says you have to strive for this? People find it exciting when you go off the beaten path, but that’s not your problem. Walk your own path. Think about what makes you happy. For one person, that’s a house, a tree, and a pet, and for another, it’s backpacking. Fine! You won’t get the approval of the whole world anyway.’
Okay, let’s say your dream is to have your own business. What is your indispensable advice?
‘Have a passion for what you do. That sounds cliché, but entrepreneurship is mainly hard work. If you have to do things you hate all the time, then it doesn’t work. It’s hard work, investing a lot of time, and you need passion and drive for that. If you have that, then it’s not even that interesting whether you’re going to do something unique.’
The biggest nonsense when it comes to freedom and work?
‘That you can earn a lot of money by doing nothing. It’s not: just put in two weeks of effort and then earn location-independent money like water, brand awareness, and maximum media coverage. It’s unrealistic to think like that; you first have to grind for a few years. Money doesn’t just flow in when you’re lying on the couch watching Netflix. If you’re good at something, you can eventually earn a nice penny in not too many hours. But for the big money, you first have to hustle. There’s a bit of a lack of work ethic in our society today. Everything has to be fun, but it’s not just fun. On the other hand, I also see many entrepreneurs making work too big and just keep going. They never clear their heads and get completely stuck because of that. Those entrepreneurs still miss the freedom, which is precisely the advantage of not working for a boss.’
Where do we start to gain more freedom in our daily lives?
‘With your agenda. People always think it’s about contacts, but just open your agenda on Sunday night and write down what you’re going to do. See if that’s not too much. Many people want to do much more than what can fit into a week. That already causes stress in advance. Another tip: see if there are enough things in your agenda that give you energy. A nice sports moment, walking the dog, a coffee date with a friend… Give yourself the space not to have to work every day. A less full agenda brings peace and ensures that you work efficiently and focused during the hours you do work.’
Image credits: Emma Peijnenburg
