Alexandra Franzen on surviving career curveballs and the setbacks of self-employment

Are you an aspiring writer on a creative path constantly facing setbacks? Are you embarking on a change in your creative career and something’s just not quite clicking? Or are you someone who feels like they’ve lost their sense of “Who am I?” “Is this the right direction for me?” This conversation with the wonderful Alexandra Franzen will help you march forward again.

Alexandra is a smart, witty, successful writer – her words featured in some of the world’s biggest publications like Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, The Huffington Post and Life Hacker. Even in song lyrics and stencilled onto paintings – who helps creative people find encouragement again. She has a giant heart, and throughout her successful writing and radio career Alex has survived every type of writing related drama you can imagine.

I invited Alex on to the show to share with me how despite those moments of wanting to give it all up, she finds the courage to dig deep, stay focused and carry on producing her best work.

Key moments:

 

[3m 30s] Alex shares what her life is like on an average day (not the Instagram version, the real version)

 

[6m 10s] Do you ever over-estimate what you can get done in a day? Alex has a technique to tackle this

 

[9m 30s] Alex shares why “You don’t need more time, you need more intensity” to overcome ‘guilty thoughts’ freelancers can feel

 

[12m 30s] Alex tells us about the transition from office worker to self-employed writer and the tools she put in place to ease the process

 

[13m 20s] Alex talks about the immense anxiety she felt in her first year of self-employment

 

[17m 15s] Beth asks Alex what she thought her future held before self-employment and Alex shares her clarity – a long time coming

 

[19m 40s] The key to discovering the things you love to work on and what you can be paid for

 

[21m 50s] The importance of having ‘non-work related’ projects to get outside of your brain and into your body

 

[27m 0s] The clues to your greatest gifts – you might be surprised about where you can find these

 

[28m 15s] Alex talks about the value she gets from coaching creatives and how having an hour in your calendar with your coach is good for the soul

 

[32m 0s] For anyone who is stuck on a creative project for any reason, Alex shares some really great advice that will overcome your challenge (whatever it may be)

 

[35m 0s] How do you know which criticism to take on board from somebody and which you shouldn’t?

 

[38m 40s] The importance of finding and knowing who your support network is for the times you need to open up to someone about creative career challenges

 

[41m 0s] Alex tells us what the essence of a great story is made up of – it’s more simple than you think

  

People + sources mentioned:

 

Beth’s book: Freedom Seeker: Live more. Worry less. Do what you love.

Alex’s book: You're going to survive