My Freelance Methodology: The Best Leverage – Low-Cost, Replicable Digital Asset Mindset

In today’s job market, freelancing is becoming increasingly popular and has become a choice for many. Recently, a friend of mine organized an end-of-year gathering for freelancers in Shanghai, where participants shared their career experiences and insights. Within an hour of the event announcement, the registration exceeded expectations and quickly filled up, highlighting the growing popularity of freelancing.

I have been a freelancer for 135 days now, and today I’d like to share some of my thoughts and methods during this journey.

1 The Three Pillars of Freelancing

1. Monetizing Existing Skills and Knowledge Leverage your skills, experience, and network to create sustainable income streams.

2. Continuously Promote Yourself Treat yourself as a product and market your brand across multiple channels.

3. Build Digital Assets Accumulate digital assets, such as books, articles, videos, programs, and even digital currencies.

2 My Core Approach

Rely on past experience and knowledge to sustain yourself initially, then consistently promote and expand your influence. Influence opens doors to opportunities and resources that were previously out of reach. These resources can then be invested in building digital assets, creating a sustainable cycle.

In this era, the best leverage for ordinary people is traffic. Traffic allows you to access more resources and gives you an opportunity to impact the world. At its core, traffic is a low-cost, replicable asset, representing a chance for ordinary individuals to turn the tide in their favor.

I regret not starting earlier. The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago; the second-best time is now.

3 Beware of Platform Dependency

However, it’s important not to become overly dependent on platforms. Platforms can make you famous overnight, but they can also erase your presence just as quickly. Today, traffic is concentrated in a few major platforms, where algorithms control visibility, and users are at the mercy of corporate interests.

Most of these platforms are closed or semi-closed ecosystems designed to keep traffic within their own networks, resulting in monopolies. This is why search engines are becoming less effective as traffic gateways.

The best approach is to leverage platforms for traffic while simultaneously building your own private traffic ecosystem, such as fan groups, Knowledge Planets, OnlyFans, or personal websites.

At the same time, I aim to build my own platform, where people can find me without needing to register accounts. This embodies the concept of decentralization. We don’t want to be controlled by centralized platforms; we want to own and manage our traffic. This is also the idea behind Web3.

However, new technologies come with challenges and imperfections. Web3 is a goldmine hidden in a dark forest—full of opportunities but also pitfalls. Stay curious yet cautious. When you see someone selling water in this forest, think twice before blindly rushing in.

I haven’t entered Web3 yet. I’m simply curious about how it operates, its challenges, its opportunities, and its future potential. My blog remains a product of Web2, and for now, it serves me well. However, as I grow, it might no longer fit my needs.

4 The Double-Edged Sword of Traffic

Gaining traffic means exposing yourself to the public eye. This is a double-edged sword—it brings opportunities but also potential harm. Privacy breaches, online trolling, cyberbullying, and even real-world consequences can arise.

When facing negative comments, it’s important to maintain perspective. I often remind myself: I’m not money; I can’t expect everyone to like me. Even money isn’t universally loved.

So far, I haven’t encountered these challenges because I’m just an ordinary freelancer, an average programmer, a regular citizen, and a small-time blogger with limited traffic.

5 The Struggles of Freelancing

The early stages of freelancing are the hardest. You might invest significant time and effort without seeing results. Self-doubt can easily creep in: Is this the right path? Should I change direction? Should I go back to a traditional job?

You must determine whether you’re better suited for tasks with quick feedback loops or those requiring long-term investment. Can you accept the 80/20 rule, where only a few excel while most remain average (low floor, high ceiling)? Can you sustain yourself until your efforts start paying off?

A friend of mine has been freelancing for four years and now faces a bottleneck. She’s reached the limit of her current business model and needs new breakthroughs. However, personal time and energy are finite, and breakthroughs often require opportunities and serendipity.

6 Breaking Through

Here’s my approach:

• Focus on what you’re good at. Ideally, do something you’re both skilled at and passionate about, and that also generates income.
• Delegate tasks you’re not good at to professionals.
• Keep learning, keep thinking, keep creating.
• Maintain high energy levels. Exercise regularly, surround yourself with positive, high-energy people, and stay prepared to seize opportunities.

Freelancing is a path filled with both challenges and opportunities. I hope everyone who chooses this journey can go further and do better.

“The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

— Dambisa Moyo, Dead Aid