In this episode, we're going to talk about the application to getting a contract process. You get really excited when you're scrolling through Upwork and you find a job you might be interested in.

For me, I always look at my search criteria and if I'm interested I hit the heart. What that does is it saves the job into my saves folder. What this does is save me time by going reading the whole job, deciding if I'm interested, submitting my proposal, then going back to the search. So I instead search through the entire list, save the ones I'm interested in, or said no to the ones I'm not interested in. When I get through the whole list, then I go into my saved jobs and take a look at them more in-depth. I look at what the client looks like, and this is when I get excited about applying for their job. I write my proposal, making sure to always leave a call to action for them, then I hit submit and then I wait.

There are different ways this could go. You could get an invite to interview which builds more excitement, you might change your mind about the job and client and take yourself out of the running, OR there's always a chance that you might not get the job. 

You think about all the time you spent leading up to this point:

• looking through your search criteria at different jobs
• reading up or researching the client
• re-reading the job over again to make sure you're a good fit
• writing your proposal
• meeting with them on a call

But, what if you don't get that project. You have to be mentally prepared in some way that you just might not get it. For me, anytime I was told no, was a sign I needed to go back to the drawing boards and apply for more jobs. You can ask for feedback on why you weren't considered for the job, but you also have to be ready for that feedback. You have to be in the right mindset where you won't take offense, you're not going to lash back, it should truly be about bettering yourself.

If you're told no, what are you going to do to get yourself back in the game? So you're not sitting in the corner, throwing yourself a little pity party. What are you going to do to pick yourself up? Because you are not working for someone else where they can motivate you, you have to find that inner motivation in yourself. 

When I'm told no, I know I have to do X, Y, and Z. So I go straight into the job board and get excited about another one. Once you continuously apply, the more you do, the more you'll be told yes. You can also think about it from the other side, YOU can also say no. They might have been excited to work with me, and I told them no.

So once you take that upper hand and take that control of your emotions and reactions to those situations that's when true success is going to happen because you're going to get back in the game.