Have you ever really sat down and defined what your ideal freelance life looks like? Not just daydreaming about it, but truly detailing the lifestyle you want to create? Most people haven’t, and that’s why it’s one of the first things I work on with my clients.
If you don’t know what success looks like for you, how will you know when you’ve achieved it?
Why It’s Important to Define Your Ideal Lifestyle
Your “ideal lifestyle” could mean anything. From working four days a week to running a business you can operate from anywhere. Retiring early, or even just having the freedom to pick your kids up from school every day.
Without a clear vision, you're simply taking action for the sake of it. It might have served you well so far, but it's not a long term strategy. Taking the time to define your goals can help you make better choices and set clear steps to get there.
Step 1: Clarify What Your Ideal Life Looks Like
To start defining your ideal lifestyle, take a few minutes to think about these key areas:
Working Pattern: What does your ideal workweek look like? Four days? Flexible hours?
Location: Where do you want to work from—home, a specific city, or anywhere in the world?
Financial Needs: How much money do you need each month to live comfortably? What's your budget for bills, fun and savings?
Emotional Goals: How do you want to feel in your day-to-day life? Energised, balanced, fulfilled?
These initial questions are just a starting point. The goal is to get clarity on what matters most to you, so you can start to align your lifestyle, ambitions and work.
Step 2: Dive Deeper with Additional Questions
Once you’ve answered those initial questions, take it further. You can go as deep as you like, considering every detail. Here are a few additional questions to guide your thinking:
What activities bring me joy or fulfilment?
How much free time do I want each week for personal projects or relaxation?
What kind of impact do I want my work to have on others?
The more detail you can produce here, the easier it becomes to think about next steps.
Step 3: Break Down Your Goals into Actionable Steps
With a clear picture of your ideal life, you can start to work backward. Breaking down larger lifestyle goals into smaller, manageable steps is crucial to making progress. For example:
Goal: “I want to work four days a week and earn $10K monthly.”
Steps:
Review your pricing structure to see if adjustments could increase income.
Identify your ideal client profile, making sure they have the resources to help you achieve your goals.
Track your hours each week to see what activities are moving you forward and which are "busy work".
Exercise: Outline Your Ideal Life and First Steps
So, here's a simple exercise to get you started.
What do I want my life to look like?
[List 3-5 specifics of your ideal lifestyle, e.g., daily routines, work setup, family time.]
What’s the first step I need to take?
[List 3-5 initial actions that will bring you closer to this vision, like adjusting work hours, or creating a budget.]
Research shows that simply by planning how you'll achieve a goal, you're up to 40% more likely to reach it. By writing down that first step, you're already closer to the ideal lifestyle you're looking for.
Don’t Let Your Lifestyle Goals Remain a Vague Idea
Most people have only a vague idea of what they want their life to look like. They haven’t taken the time to define it in detail.
Spend some time working out what “ideal” means to you. Once you’re clear on your vision, it becomes much easier to determine the steps needed to reach it.
What Next?
Need help creating a lifestyle-focused action plan? Let’s talk. I specialise in helping freelancers and founders define their ideal life, set meaningful goals, and reach work-life balance.
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