The essence of the freelance life is freedom

The essence of the freelance life is freedom. Idleness is part of freedom and shouldn't alarm you. You will find soon enough that you have more than enough on your plate. Relish these periods of rest. To be freelance it is also necessary to believe to know, to know profoundly that one is going to be all right however unlikely it seems at any particular distressing moment. This faith your friends cannot give you: it is something you have to discover in yourself.

V.S. Naipaul in a letter to Paul Theroux June 6, 1972