Yo Work Fun Nation, 

Let me tell you about the time I let a huge client slip through my fingers. 

Some years ago, I received this notif sa computer ko. 

There I was, an email open in front of me from a company wanting to hire me for a project, that if ako yung napili, would be able to fully pay car payments, or maybe a few years’ worth of mortgage pa nga. 

Another potential 7-figure deal, ika nga. 

For context, EDC is a huge player in the energy development sector in the Philippines. One of my mentors put in a good word for me, and actively referred me to his friend from the inside for this project. 

Sobrang picky nila sa contractors and an actual invite to bid means that you're shortlisted na.

Plus yung actual mentor ko yung literal consultant na nila for many years. 

I had the odds stacked in my favor. 

Dream client na to, kasi naka-work ko na sila dati indirectly as part of the team of my mentor dati. Even back then, it was already highly-paid. 

And what did I do? 

I actually froze, then clicked away. 

Lousy taalga. Classic Shoden move.

Why? The scope seemed so big. What if I couldn't pull it off? 

I’m not proud of this, but I got scared and made the worst promise I could make to myself: "I'll do it later." 

Spoiler: I did not. 

It was only a few days later na na-kwento ko sa wife ko over dinner. 

Shoden: “I got an email the other day and na-invite ako to bid for a company referred by Bong…”

Jeans: “Ano ka ba?” she said, and I finally realized how crazy I was being. 

My wife knew me better than myself. "Andyan ka na naman, bakit mo ni-ignore yung email" she said. "E nagawa mo na to dati." 

And she was right. I actually have been able to deliver projects of a similar scope dati. Minsan bigger pa nga. 

It was my imposter syndrome kicking in na naman. 

I'm sharing this story because I know so many fellow freelancers who deal with the same self-sabotage.

I’m not immune dito. 

We tend to downplay our skills and let opportunity after opportunity pass by. All because of these words: "mamaya na lang." or “I’ll do it later.”

Yep, putting something off is one of the ways that imposter syndrome manifests. 

When we feel like they don’t deserve our success or that we will be discovered as incompetent, we may delay taking action or completing tasks.

And no, this isn’t an email where I tell you I still won the client, na I turned things around kasi magaling ako or some shit like that.

It's not.

I totally dropped the ball on this one.

Syempre they were on a schedule and hindi lang ako yung pwedeng mag deliver ng service for them.

Ano ako siniswerte? 

A company that size would have a lot of options.

Anyway, my point is this. 

How many otherwise awesome projects or opportunities are passing us by just because of imposter syndrome?

How many have you sadly let go, ?

What is it about imposter syndrome that keeps coming back kahit alam mo naman na you know what you're doing?

Allow me to nerd out a bit, so you don’t have to. 

Imposter Syndrome isn’t necessarily good or bad. It's only bad when we dwell too much on it.

Comparing with others is a natural part of being human. If you feel it, you’re human. 

Our ancestors used it to survive by comparing their skills and resources with others to find their place in their tribe. Nakapag-start din tayo mag-divide ng labor through this same mechanism. 

Imagine if all of us remained only hunter-gatherers, tapos wala rin social hierarchy and walang internal drive to compare. Kung walang kahit anong form of imposter syndrome dati, we didn't group ourselves into communities or depend on each others' strengths (and also nerfed our weaknesses) na.

We might not have gotten out of the stone age. Deds na tayo agad kasi we didn’t feel the need to cooperate with each other.  

As social creatures, we seek validation and acceptance from our peers, and comparing ourselves to others can give us a sense of belonging.

However, the flip side of this is when we doubt our abilities and fear being exposed as frauds, even when there’s evidence of our competence. 

This happens because we often make inaccurate comparisons with others and idealize those we admire. A lot of this is in our heads. 

Now that we know impostor syndrome is common, how can we lessen its impact?

Failure is a Fact.

As with any other line of work, you're likely to encounter setbacks and challenges. 

Imagine you're a freelance graphic designer who just lost a client because they didn't like your initial design concepts. Instead of feeling defeated, you view this as an opportunity to improve. 

Don’t let failure and rejection define who you are, and don’t attach it to your identity. 

Each rejection becomes a stepping stone toward becoming a sought-after designer, and each new prospect is an opportunity to a better version of yourself.

Keep a Compliments or Wins File.

As a freelancer, you won’t have a boss giving you regular feedback or recognition. Swerte mo na when you have an awesome client who isn’t shy with praise.

That's where your Compliments File comes in handy. Other experts call this stacking evidence until you have no choice but to believe that you're actually good at what you do.

Document your achievements, positive client feedback, and completed projects. It's a tangible reminder of your skills and accomplishments.

I learned this from Matthew Dicks in his book ‘Someday is Today; I’ve only recently started to document the wins into one simple Google doc, and so far it’s really helping with my confidence. 

Not bad, Shoden. Not bad.

Para when imposter syndrome creeps in, I can revisit these successes to remind myself that I'm not such a loser after all.

I highly recommend this!

Don’t put yourself in a silo.

As freelancers who work from home, it’s all too easy to isolate ourselves and get us stewing in our own thoughts. Connect deeply with other freelancers, both locally and internationally. 

Being in a solid community of like-minded people can provide you with valuable insights, support, and the realization that imposter syndrome is something many freelancers face. 

The Freelance Movement Tribe is one such place. 

Own your Successes: When you complete a project or deliver quality work, don't downplay it as luck or a fluke. 

Acknowledge your skills and hard work. Take the time to celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem.

This part may have taken me the longest to process. It may be true for you and for many others as well because most Pinoys tend to downplay their success. 

We have to learn how to take pride in our ability to deliver exceptional results.

Ayown, so to bring this TedTalk to a close, we’re all going to make mistakes whatever happens, so we might as well embrace that we’re human. 

You've got this! 💪

Shoden “Failure is Fact” San

ps. Here's the link to our 65-vers Sprint™ (a social experiment sa prospecting starting on Oct 2). 17 people so far, pero far pa sa goal natin of 50 participants.

💡 Need guidance and clarity on your own reinvention? I’m opening a few paid slots after several of you messaged me about getting some extra coaching outside of TFMT. Limited lang ito, and first come first served basis. I'm starting with clarity calls muna with a 90-day action plan. Book here.

🎉 Pst. Don't Keep Me A Secret. refer this newsletter to your freelancer friends and earn rewards worth $$! (kung naisahan ka dun sa mga pranks ko in some of my emails and gusto mo ng kadamay, share mo to hehe)

🔥 Send Freelancing Questions. I'm planning to show up more on Reels and TikTok. Help me out naman guys with your freelancing-related questions. I need to make a lot of videos.

☠️ Too many emails from me? I totally understand the need to declutter your inbox. Haha ako nga nagsabi na mag-declutter ka e. I hope my tips have helped you work smarter as a freelancer. No hard feelings. Just click below (may maliit na link dyan na kulay grey).