30 learnings from 30 years as a Python freelancer

I found some tips and general thoughts on what it takes to be a successful freelancer, and why that career can be so fulfilling. Some highlights:

Being an excellent programmer isn’t enough to succeed as a freelancer.

Be open to changing the direction of your career.

It’s better to be an expert in a small, well-defined domain than a generalist. … That said, it’s also important to have a wide body of knowledge. Read anything you can.

My father used to say, “I never met a con man I didn’t like.” And indeed, the clients who failed to pay me were always the sweetest, nicest people… until they failed to pay.

Being in business means being an optimist, believing that you can succeed even when things are tough.

If you can pay money to save time, do it.

Learn how to learn new things quickly, and to integrate those new things into what you already know.