This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here.

Hey, there, you go-getter you! Ready to raise hell on another year of cut-throat independence? Of course, you are! As you know, in the freelancing industry, your biggest source of firepower is yourself. So pushing your business to greater heights simply means pushing yourself to greater heights. To a huge number of us, that means it's time to... wear many hats.

It’s not an easy task! Changing hats takes discipline. Here’s how to make the constant wardrobe changes a little more seamless:

1. RESPECT THE HAT

Don't just tell your client that you can be two things to them without having the actual guns for it. Go deep into the new role before you start selling it as part of your package. Research. Talk to more experienced professionals. Weigh your capabilities against the hard-hitting truths about this role. Be ready to assume it, if you think you can. But let yourself back down if you find out it isn’t for you. Respect the work.

Join a group of people who look great in hats (it's free!)

Become a Freelancers Union member

2. BE THE HAT

Now that you've done your knowledge gathering – practice. Learn. And practice some more. You don't just wake up one morning with a new talent. Immerse yourself in the new role until you become it.

3. MOVE ON FROM THE HAT

Switching roles takes some finesse. The perspective you have in one hat may not be appropriate for the perspective you need while wearing another. Take a break between roles and refocus your energy.

Wearing many hats broadens your skill set and your business opportunities – which means more moneys and better days. But wearing many hats can be tricky without the right amount of know-how, discipline, and pacing. Try it out little by little. Let it grow on you.

If you can manage to perform this tactic successfully, fashionably… then I tip my hat to you… you, go-getter, you.

Karen is RaketChick at raketchick.blogspot.com, a Freelancing Survival Champion who’s also an independent Advertising/Web/Magazine Writer, a Strategic Creative Consultant, and a Fiction Author specializing in erotica. Uhm, yeah.