Make Mine Maturity
The Primadonna Client. The Cranky Production Head. The Out-of-Control Control Freak Agency Rep. These are the cast of characters seated at the round table of bad vibes.
If I were still comfortably employed in a huge firm, I would've proudly entered the fray as the Creative Bitch. I've always had the claws and the caustic tongue for it.
Surprisingly, however, I came in level headed instead. No screaming along with the nasty bunch. I just sat there, managed a smile, and easily went through the motions of being boxing referee. Now that's something I never used to do. I loved a good mayhem in the old days. I would pit myself against giants just to get that adrenaline rush. Industry warfare was my shtick. The bloodier, the better. I mean, really --what did I stand to lose?
But, like I said, not anymore.
Freelancing changes you. It gives you that little ditty called maturity. You get exposed to all sorts of people, humbled by a gazillion experiences, and then you realize that everything depends on how you manage your affairs. You learn to rely on your professionalism. You learn how to play politics to keep the peace. You learn to be no-nonsense and fair. Not only because you have your irregular paycheck on the line, but also because you'd want to keep relationships. Relationships are damn important when it comes to self-sustenance. When I used to sit in an office and knew diplomacy was someone else's responsibility, I never really cared. Ha!
Thanks to my mediating powers, the meeting ended smoothly with only a bit of bruised ego (not mine) as minor casualty. I rose from it calm, collected, content.
Professional maturity. Yep, I went through hell to get it. But now that I have it, the trick is to really, REALLY, keep it. Smiley face, don't fail me now.
If I were still comfortably employed in a huge firm, I would've proudly entered the fray as the Creative Bitch. I've always had the claws and the caustic tongue for it.
But, like I said, not anymore.
Freelancing changes you. It gives you that little ditty called maturity. You get exposed to all sorts of people, humbled by a gazillion experiences, and then you realize that everything depends on how you manage your affairs. You learn to rely on your professionalism. You learn how to play politics to keep the peace. You learn to be no-nonsense and fair. Not only because you have your irregular paycheck on the line, but also because you'd want to keep relationships. Relationships are damn important when it comes to self-sustenance. When I used to sit in an office and knew diplomacy was someone else's responsibility, I never really cared. Ha!
Thanks to my mediating powers, the meeting ended smoothly with only a bit of bruised ego (not mine) as minor casualty. I rose from it calm, collected, content.
Professional maturity. Yep, I went through hell to get it. But now that I have it, the trick is to really, REALLY, keep it. Smiley face, don't fail me now.
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