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The best freelance books that will boost your career
As freelancer er man i fuld kontrol over sin karriere, og en af de helt store fordele som selvstændig, er hvordan man fuldt ud kan gribe alle de fantastiske chancer der er, for at lære nyt og udbygge sine kompetencer.
There are of course a multitude of different sources: online learning, articles and websites, podcasts, twitter threads, and communities. But a classic, and still one of the best sources of fresh inspiration, are and will be books.
There is something authentic about knowing that you are sitting with a piece of work that has put some effort into it, and that you can get into the head of another person in relatively few pages.
Here we continuously update a list of the best books - which we think - you should check out. Some are brand new, others have stood the test of time.
4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
Company Of One by Paul Jarvis
Do The Work by Stephen Pressfield
The Dip by Seth Godin
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Range by David Epstein
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
The 4 Hour Work Week // Tim Ferriss
TFHWW is now a few years old, and there are therefore a number of hacks throughout the book that have lost some relevance. But Tim Ferriss manages to hit the nail on the head when it comes to getting the most out of his career – and life for that matter.
For many, this book has been misunderstood as a shortcut to work as little as possible, but in reality it is about scaling your work, outsourcing, and automating all the small draining tasks so that there is more time for all the fun. It is certainly something that goes in line with Factofly's values.
The book's basic approach to working life is definitely worth a visit for any freelancer. Since Tim Ferriss delivered this classic, he has committed a multitude of other "4 hour" books, where Tools of Titans is, in our view, the one that has the most to offer for the type who wants to turn life up a bit.
TF also delivers one of the most popular business podcasts – The Tim Ferriss Show – which is definitely worth your time if you appreciate getting under the skin of great personalities.
Company of one // Paul Jarvis
Paul Jarvis's Company of One is described as every creative's best friend, and discusses the counterintuitive idea that growth is not always good, and not always necessary. What is essential in Company of One is Paul's focus on building a business that is exactly as big as it needs to be, while not letting size determine success.
With his long freelance experience, Paul points to a more risk-seeking behavior among freelancers, where new pastures must be dusted with classic out-of-the-box thinking in order to succeed.
One of Paul Jarvis' points is also to focus more energy on the customers you already have, instead of chasing new ones. It is, of course, grist to our mill, and something we have been preaching for a long time. You can read more about that here.
Do the work // Steven Pressfield
If you remember just a little bit about us, you will also experience having your bag stuffed with good ideas. And if we're being honest, it's also the vast majority who stay there.
There can be a number of reasons for this - basically, we probably tell ourselves that not everyone is an equal winner. But in Do The Work, Steven Pressfield helps remove the barriers and get the job done. For him it is not failure, which stands between the good idea and success, but the lack of action.
Do The Work helps you stop the chatter and the good intentions, to move towards your goal.
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
The Dip // Seth Godin
The Dip is a small stroke of genius by the always sharp Seth Godin. The Dip is basically about getting better at identifying opportunities, and knowing when to stop and when to double down. Because as he says: “Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.”
As humans, we have a strong bias to continue with things, even if all the alarm bells are ringing, and the rational decision will be to move on. We lull ourselves into a story about things turning just around the corner. In The Dip, Seth Godin discusses the strategy behind stalling projects, which is a lousy strategy in the short term. But when we look further into the future, we free up time that can be allocated from bad to good projects.
No matter what you start, you will experience a dip. If you want to be the world's best in your field, in Seth Godin's world it's all about working your way through the dip. The steeper the dip, the harder it is to fight through, but the fewer make it. And this is where your opportunity lies.
"If you want to be a superstar, then you need to find a field with a steep dip—a barrier between those who try and those who succeed. And you've got to get through that Dip to the other side.”
Atomic Habits // James Clear
In Atomics Habits, James Clear presents the hack behind habit change. Through psychology and neuroscience, James takes you through practical ways to transform your career, relationships and life.
James Clear is also worth keeping an eye on Twitter and his newsletter, 3-2-1 Thursday, is among the house favorites here in the company.
"You do not rise to the levels of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems"– James Clear.
Range // David Epstein
Putting Range by David Epstein on the list might go a bit against our crusade for specialization, and the art of find your niche as a freelancer.
But Range is an important book for anyone who has an ambition to raise the level. Epstein does away with "the 10,000 hour rule" and the mindset that success requires early specialization. Through a number of concrete examples, Epstein shows how effective problem solving is about being able to draw on a wide range of experience.
You must read Range if you lack inspiration on how to expand your own range, and learn how a large number of top performers zoomed into their niche relatively late in their careers - and came out better on the other side.
The Mom Test // Rob Fitzpatrick
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick is your field guide to talking to customers. The book is actually aimed at entrepreneurs who have the next big thing on their hands. If you are not able to get to the heart of the problem - without talking about your solution - you end up spending an incredible amount of time with people who are stroking your hair and not telling the whole truth. (Perhaps like your dear mother, who doesn't mind telling you you're off track.)
If you have a new fantastic idea, this book is a must read. But this book is just as important for you who want to be better at getting the right things out of your (potential) customers. Other people are basically too polite. The Mom Test teaches you to cut through all the BS and get to the point.
The next time a customer smiles and says "yes" "cool" "let's get started" and everything else that is part of a soft no then you are armed with the right questions.
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
The best freelance books that will boost your career
As freelancer er man i fuld kontrol over sin karriere, og en af de helt store fordele som selvstændig, er hvordan man fuldt ud kan gribe alle de fantastiske chancer der er, for at lære nyt og udbygge sine kompetencer.
There are of course a multitude of different sources: online learning, articles and websites, podcasts, twitter threads, and communities. But a classic, and still one of the best sources of fresh inspiration, are and will be books.
There is something authentic about knowing that you are sitting with a piece of work that has put some effort into it, and that you can get into the head of another person in relatively few pages.
Here we continuously update a list of the best books - which we think - you should check out. Some are brand new, others have stood the test of time.
4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
Company Of One by Paul Jarvis
Do The Work by Stephen Pressfield
The Dip by Seth Godin
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Range by David Epstein
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
The 4 Hour Work Week // Tim Ferriss
TFHWW is now a few years old, and there are therefore a number of hacks throughout the book that have lost some relevance. But Tim Ferriss manages to hit the nail on the head when it comes to getting the most out of his career – and life for that matter.
For many, this book has been misunderstood as a shortcut to work as little as possible, but in reality it is about scaling your work, outsourcing, and automating all the small draining tasks so that there is more time for all the fun. It is certainly something that goes in line with Factofly's values.
The book's basic approach to working life is definitely worth a visit for any freelancer. Since Tim Ferriss delivered this classic, he has committed a multitude of other "4 hour" books, where Tools of Titans is, in our view, the one that has the most to offer for the type who wants to turn life up a bit.
TF also delivers one of the most popular business podcasts – The Tim Ferriss Show – which is definitely worth your time if you appreciate getting under the skin of great personalities.
Company of one // Paul Jarvis
Paul Jarvis's Company of One is described as every creative's best friend, and discusses the counterintuitive idea that growth is not always good, and not always necessary. What is essential in Company of One is Paul's focus on building a business that is exactly as big as it needs to be, while not letting size determine success.
With his long freelance experience, Paul points to a more risk-seeking behavior among freelancers, where new pastures must be dusted with classic out-of-the-box thinking in order to succeed.
One of Paul Jarvis' points is also to focus more energy on the customers you already have, instead of chasing new ones. It is, of course, grist to our mill, and something we have been preaching for a long time. You can read more about that here.
Do the work // Steven Pressfield
If you remember just a little bit about us, you will also experience having your bag stuffed with good ideas. And if we're being honest, it's also the vast majority who stay there.
There can be a number of reasons for this - basically, we probably tell ourselves that not everyone is an equal winner. But in Do The Work, Steven Pressfield helps remove the barriers and get the job done. For him it is not failure, which stands between the good idea and success, but the lack of action.
Do The Work helps you stop the chatter and the good intentions, to move towards your goal.
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
The Dip // Seth Godin
The Dip is a small stroke of genius by the always sharp Seth Godin. The Dip is basically about getting better at identifying opportunities, and knowing when to stop and when to double down. Because as he says: “Quit or be exceptional. Average is for losers.”
As humans, we have a strong bias to continue with things, even if all the alarm bells are ringing, and the rational decision will be to move on. We lull ourselves into a story about things turning just around the corner. In The Dip, Seth Godin discusses the strategy behind stalling projects, which is a lousy strategy in the short term. But when we look further into the future, we free up time that can be allocated from bad to good projects.
No matter what you start, you will experience a dip. If you want to be the world's best in your field, in Seth Godin's world it's all about working your way through the dip. The steeper the dip, the harder it is to fight through, but the fewer make it. And this is where your opportunity lies.
"If you want to be a superstar, then you need to find a field with a steep dip—a barrier between those who try and those who succeed. And you've got to get through that Dip to the other side.”
Atomic Habits // James Clear
In Atomics Habits, James Clear presents the hack behind habit change. Through psychology and neuroscience, James takes you through practical ways to transform your career, relationships and life.
James Clear is also worth keeping an eye on Twitter and his newsletter, 3-2-1 Thursday, is among the house favorites here in the company.
"You do not rise to the levels of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems"– James Clear.
Range // David Epstein
Putting Range by David Epstein on the list might go a bit against our crusade for specialization, and the art of find your niche as a freelancer.
But Range is an important book for anyone who has an ambition to raise the level. Epstein does away with "the 10,000 hour rule" and the mindset that success requires early specialization. Through a number of concrete examples, Epstein shows how effective problem solving is about being able to draw on a wide range of experience.
You must read Range if you lack inspiration on how to expand your own range, and learn how a large number of top performers zoomed into their niche relatively late in their careers - and came out better on the other side.
The Mom Test // Rob Fitzpatrick
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick is your field guide to talking to customers. The book is actually aimed at entrepreneurs who have the next big thing on their hands. If you are not able to get to the heart of the problem - without talking about your solution - you end up spending an incredible amount of time with people who are stroking your hair and not telling the whole truth. (Perhaps like your dear mother, who doesn't mind telling you you're off track.)
If you have a new fantastic idea, this book is a must read. But this book is just as important for you who want to be better at getting the right things out of your (potential) customers. Other people are basically too polite. The Mom Test teaches you to cut through all the BS and get to the point.
The next time a customer smiles and says "yes" "cool" "let's get started" and everything else that is part of a soft no then you are armed with the right questions.
Freelance with Factofly
Use Factofly to invoice and get paid without having your own CVR number or registered company. We handle all the boring stuff, so you can spend your time where it's most fun.
