Earnings and Yearnings: The Freelance Personality

"A person who has trouble working in a structured environment and who likes to be in control would make a good freelancer," says Daniel Fisher, a psychologist and a partner in the talent management-consulting firm Fisher Rock. Consequently, however, freelancers must be able to tolerate isolation.

The most important trait a freelancer should have or be willing to hone, according to Fisher, is confidence. "When you're part of a team, you can hide within it," he says. "As a freelancer, you're the one on the hook. You have to be able to pull that off."

Self-assuredness is also crucial for one activity that freelancers absolutely must engage in: self-promotion. "Unless you can convince others that you're worth hiring, you won't get enough business to keep yourself going," says Pamela Slim, a consultant and the author of Escape from Cubicle Nation. And that same belief in your abilities will serve you well when you face rejection. "If a relationship with a client doesn't work out or a venture fails, you need to not take it personally."

Nearly as important is the ability to shut out distractions. Several competitors are fighting for my attention as I type this: There are dirty dishes in the sink. My mother just called to ask why I don't visit more often since I "don't have a job." And I can't shake the memory of my three-year-old's face when I dropped him off at preschool—he frowned tremblingly and said, "Mama, I just want to be with you."

Staying on task at a "real job" is easier because you're accountable to others. As Fisher puts it, "In an office, there are cues to work all around you." At home, there are many cues to do everything else but work: read, finish that laundry, shave your legs, snack, surf the web, take a nap...

I give myself breaks to reward spurts of self-discipline. But I wonder: Are the most successful freelancers blessed with military-grade resolve? "If willpower is like a muscle, then some people come into the world like Arnold Schwarzenegger and some don't," says Tim Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University. But, Pychyl says, as with weight training, even self-control weaklings can strengthen their willpower. Small steps in one area of life can help improve other areas: Practicing better posture for two weeks might make it easier for you to resist halting your invoice upkeep for a cookie break.

At home, die-hard procrastinators will find no weekly meetings to keep them from putting off projects indefinitely. But Pychyl doesn't think they should rule out freelancing . "In fact," he argues, "freelancing could be the absolute cure for procrastination. When you have autonomy and you do things that are meaningful to you, you're more likely to get the job done."

To avoid self-sabotage, procrastinating freelancers must identify their fears, says Jane Burka, co-author, with Lenora Yuen, of Procrastination: Why You Do It, What To Do About It NOW. You may be afraid a project is too difficult, but embarrassed to ask for help. Or you may leave minimal time to complete an assignment so that you can assure yourself that it would have been brilliant—if only you had had an extra day or two. Or, believe it or not, you may belashing out against authority—even when you are technically in charge. If you are quick to feel controlled, the pressure to meet deadlines can be tantamount to losing your autonomy. Says Burka: "One way to assert your independence is by procrastinating, even if the person you are rebelling against is yourself." Keep reminding yourself that finishing your work on time will in fact keep you free—free from alarm clocks, HR workshops, and shoes .—Amy Rosenberg

How to Boss Yourself Around

You've hired yourself; now get the most out of your prize employee: