Some years ago I decide to become a freelance web developer.
I made a list of 100 reasons why I LOVE it.

01. It’s my business.
02. I call the shots.
03. No suits.
04. No ties.
05. I can wear whatever I want. 365 days a year.
06. Pants optional (I almost always wear them).
07. It’s more of a challenge than having a job.
08. No cubicle.
09. I can work wherever I want.
10. My victories and failures are my own.
11. I don’t have to “do lunch”.
12. I work at home. No commute.
13. It’s cool to say I work at home.
14. My friends get crazy when I say that.
15. No commute saves me 2 hours a day, 10 hours a week, 500 hours a year. That’s over 20 extra days annually. Whoo hoo!
16. No road rage.
17. I can say “no” whenever I want. No no no NO!
18. Different clients, different projects, lots of variety, no monotony.
19. I can have toys in my office.
20. I can have any sort of pet I want in my office. Cat, dog, spyder, monkey. Okay, forget about the monkey.
21. I can work on the projects I choose.
22. I feel challenged.
23. I can develop my own projects.
24. I have too many interests to settle on just one.
25. You learn new things every day.
26. No watching the clock and counting the minutes until I get to go home.
27. I can go drink a coffee when I want to.
28. Anytime is snack time. (I love to eat. Yum.)
29. The pay is good.
30. The pay can be REALLY good.
31. I can work on my patio and feel the breeze in the spring.
32. The “boss” lets me take time off whenever I want.
33. Oh. Ok. I’m the boss.
34. Girls can come home at any time (See #6).
35. Friends are real friends. No pretend “work” friends.
36. Most of the times I can let work for tomorrow.
37. I can work when I’m most productive. I say the hour.
38. Bare feet in the summer!
39. Don’t need to wait 5 years to get 2 weeks of vacation.
40. I get respect for my skills.
41. I get the satisfaction of helping others succeed.
42. Low-key work environment.
43. Retirement plan? What retirement plan? I can do this forever if I want to, even when I’m 96 years old.
44. I learn a lot. I mean, a LOT.
45. I never work “for” people. I worth “with” people. Big difference.
46. Have I mentioned the pants optional?
47. I make a difference. I really believe that.
48. Opportunities are endless.
49. I have a more direct contact with clients.
50. I get a new job when I less expect, with a single phone call.
51. People really remember me.
52. A good reputation is invaluable and without borders.
53. I turn down jobs all the time. Nice ego boost.
54. I can open my window and enjoy fresh air and birdsong.
55. I can turn up the music as loud as I want.
56. What? I can’t hear you! (METALLICA rocks!)
57. I get to take on different personas. I’m a coffee junkie in the morning, a commercial officer at noon, and a fireman in the afternoon. Such a rush!
58. I work my leads, but mostly people come to me. That’s real cool.
59. I can smell dinner cooking. Today it’s lasagna. Mmm. Love it!
60. My “job” is far more secure than a real job. I can get fired and the world doesn’t end. If someone with a real job gets fired, it’s doomsday.
61. I have time for outside interests.
62. I have time for family.
63. I have time for movies.
64. I never get stressed.
65. Well, I sometimes get really stressed, but that’s only when I forget all the other things on this list.
66. I can go for a ride in my beetle, I love my car – http://joelrocha.com/images/vw-beetle.jpg.
67. I can walk around while talking on the phone. That would annoy people in the corporate world. (See #6)
68. I’m the expert. People call me because I know how to solve their problems. (F*** yeh!)
69. I get calls all the time. Sometimes I don’t know if it is good.
70. “Sure, anytime between Wednesday and Friday is fine” – I’m free almost of the time.
71. Even in my worst year, burned out, being lazy, I can still earn money.
72. I can say “crap load” out loud and no one files a complaint.
73. I can work with people in Spain, Australia, and England.
74. I’m not kidding. That lasagna smells unbelievable.
75. I can open that YouTube video someone sent me with a boy falling.
76. When I get fed up, I go out and buy something new.
77. Some of my competitors are not really competitors. They’re my friends and associates.
78. I have learned the fine art of networking
79. I develop an impressive portfolio.
80. Some clients recently told me they worked with several other freelancers and they all sucked.
81. Freelance is not for everyone.
82. “Freelance”… that sounds real cool.
83. I do what makes me happy
84. It makes me feel awesome.
85. I reward myself all the time for my good work.
86. People ask me all the time how do I reached this point.
87. It prevents me from letting my ego get too out of control. When I’m feeling like a genius, I’m reminded that I have the capacity to also be an idiot.
88. I can use an exercise-ball chair and no one will think you’re insane (or maybe I am!).
89. When I don’t know something, I can go and google it. Google knows (almost) everything.
90. I talk to most clients over the phone and Skype, I don’t have to nod and smile when people say stupid things. I can roll my eyes at will.
91. My office overhead is low. I just need a computer and internet.
92. My life is balanced.
93. Seriously, what’s with those people who quit an 60-hour a week job because they can’t take it anymore and start freelancing 80 hours a week. I guess they need money for the early funeral.
94. I’m just not cut out for a real job. I went through some of them before I accidentally discovered freelancing. Thank God for my “failures”.
95. I’m happy.
96. I.
97. Have.
98. lots
99. of
100. Fun.

How about you?