I contributed to an article on the best motivation tips for entrepreneurs.
I wrote: “Success is about catching the big wave.”
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-muNoo8.jpeg)
(Listening to the Beach Boys has made me philosophical.)
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And you’ve got to be ready to catch that wave when it rolls in. You’ve got to be out there on your board.
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-9EI3oU.jpeg)
You also need to have the skills and the right equipment.
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-nwzDq7.jpeg)
(If you taught yourself surfing by watching old Frankie and Annette movies, and you’re using an old outhouse door for a board, well, you’re in trouble.)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 24 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-iWMVAd.jpeg)
Being ready is doing a lot of things on a daily, or at least a regular, ongoing basis.
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As a freelance illustrator, here are some of the ways I try to be out there on my (drawing) board:
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1. Do real work every day– not just social media. For me, that means drawing something every day
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-FepawL.jpeg)
2. Have a portfolio and keep it updated
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-PfAxs4.jpeg)
3. Have a blog, write for your target audience, demonstrate your expertise, post regularly
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-5MHw_l.jpeg)
4. Promote your work by sharing it on select social platforms (don’t try to be everywhere)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-iL3DpL.jpeg)
5. Write guest posts to get your work in front of more people
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-H5S6u2.jpeg)
6. Have a niche, be an expert (I specialize in visual humor that helps brands get attention and connect with people)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-kwokxN.jpeg)
7. Network (for me this means connecting with people on LinkedIn and emailing influencers to let them know I’ve quoted them in a blog post)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-EUN6mM.jpeg)
8. Leave comments (best approach: write something that adds value to someone else’s post and demonstrates your own expertise)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-KypMeW.jpeg)
9. Be generous (e.g., share other people’s work, send links to articles if you think they would benefit a certain person)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-Z_vAKL.jpeg)
10. Research prospects and send them personalized emails
(a lot of work, so be selective)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-LR0ebm.jpeg)
11. Ask for testimonials and get them out there where prospects can see them
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-eOpMu8.jpeg)
12. Ask clients for referrals (do they know anyone who
might need your product or service?)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-n6Mhfb.jpeg)
13. Include your “process” on your website, i.e., how you work– that’s essential information for a prospect
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-3v_Eqz.jpeg)
14. Stay in the news (I try to do it by responding to HARO requests: Helping A Reporter Out by contributing to a post they’re writing)
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-F6WMCm.jpeg)
15. Periodically review your website and social profiles: are they up to date and easy to navigate?
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-cVz0um.jpeg)
16. Work on personal side projects: we all need a break from the grind: it’ll keep you fresh and (hopefully) sane
![Ya Gotta Be Ready If You’re Gonna Catch The Big Wave blank vertical space, 16 pixels high](https://m5.paperblog.com/i/262/2620997/ya-gotta-be-ready-if-youre-gonna-catch-the-bi-L-V0pxjR.jpeg)