Marching On

Every once in a while, I have to advertise and sell myself on my business. I have to put the dreamer against the accountant and hope they come to an agreement. I have to believe I can do what I do. One day came recently where I wanted to throw in the the towel for a round. The respect for a boxer comes after he fights round after grueling round, and he only breaks for water and fix up before he gets back in the ring and continues to fight. Many of us wouldn't last the first few rounds, especially after brutal blows, our confidence gets shaken.

I lost my first client last night. After getting paid for designing the website, the client had not responded to proceeding on to develop the website. They went with an industry organization that sells templated sites. I went through my natural reaction of disappointment as I read the news on my Blackberry in bed with my girlfriend. My curiousity is why she would pay for the design and not extend the payment a little further for the development. And I fell asleep forgetting my victories and remembering my losses.

Currently I am working with an old employer as a contractor. Recently, my hours have increased and at one point, my business was quiet. I had a thought of trying to approach my old employer with hopes to work my old job again. I was going to do it with a need for stability. But before I approached it, I put out the feelers to all the quiet clients. Out of five quiet clients, two of them got in contact and are active clients again, two have not responded, and one chose something else. The victory was the two that chose to proceed on. As promising as the lost client site was, the active clients' site is just as promising. The most positive aspect of the lost client is that I now have a templated site to sell to a future client.

And in the corner, I have my client that has been supplying me work for the last couple years. Although his website has no bells and whistles, he is the client that I have developed a work relationship with that I shoot for with other clients. And as I write this, I become as grateful for this client as I do for the active clients and the lost clients. Regardless of the outcome, I have had the opportunity to do this work. I have a computer, the skills and the know how, the time, and the home to work from. I have the family and girlfriend and friends that support and encourage me in my endeavor. I have the fans, the cheers, and the manager in the corner that takes my spit. I have the ability to change my perception of what is going on and how it affects my present and future. And finally, I have the present and the future which means I March on through the end of the March Madness and continue to work.