1. A reality check to kick this list off: Unless you have already accumulated all the wealth you and your family will need for the rest of your lives, there is no such thing as true independence.

2. With that bitter pill out of the way, the amount of independence that comes with being self-employed really can be pretty great. However, a best practice that many people overlook is keeping your enviable situation to yourself as much as possible.

3. Work like you’re on vacation. This is something we should all practice that I’ve written about at length here. In an nutshell, vacation work mode requires minimizing distractions, getting your priorities straight, compartmentalizing and being ready for anything.

4. It’s going to take longer than you think. By now you’ve probably noticed that you tend to overestimate the amount you can get done in a day, or you underestimate how long most things will take.

5. … Under Promise and Over Deliver. That’s UPOD, for short. It’s a business cliche, but it’s doubly important for independents, because it will allow you to achieve another important secret to gigging success, namely…

6. Nailing down steady work and repeat clients. Yes, yes, I know. This is starting to sound a lot like the rat race kind of work you were trying to escape via freelancing.

People who should listen to this show are entrepreneurs, career coaches