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| I just had to post this picture here, initially shared on Translators Do It Better page on Facebook |
I still remember what happened that day in March and that overwhelming feeling of shame... Awful.
Why did that happen? It was all my fault. I knew I couldn't give my 100% to work because I was sick, but I still agreed to do it because I really, really missed translating. Money wasn't the issue. I just wanted to work.
I thought I did a good job, sent the file to the project manager, and felt very good about myself because I was able to work in spite of the fever...
The next day I got my file back from the editor. That pretty small text had 3 serious mistakes, plus a couple less serious ones... Imagine my shame....
The worst thing is I know all about saying "no". I've written some pretty wise and popular posts about it, like this one, or this one. Yet sometimes the desire to work is so tempting that I can't help it. And then I reap the consequences. :(
Good thing it doesn't happen often. Hope it never happens again. Hope I finally learned my lesson. That's why I am posting it here. I want to remember it for the rest of my life.
So far, since the experience is still pretty fresh it's easy to remember about my limits and say "no" to projects or redirect them to other colleagues. In fact, I refused a project today because it's my daughter's birthday on Saturday and I've been busy with preparations for the party. Of course I felt tempted to do that file because it was very interesting. But I am actually feeling relieved now, because I can sleep at night and do the necessary preparations during the day and work on a couple other projects with more generous deadlines.
Have you ever broken your own rules if you got a really tempting project? Did you do a good job? If not, did you learn the lesson once and for all or do you sometimes repeat your mistakes?
Hi Olga, yes something similar happened to me once. I was a working uni student and decided to take a pause from freelancing so to sit my exams. But then a call arrived. I accepted because it was a big agency then realised time was against me. I had to beg a colleague to take it. He was really busy, but accepted. Worst part? Talk to the agency. Horrible, unprofessional, I called it a 'suicide', now I think it was 'lack of professional knowledge'. But those feelings...fear, anxiety and discomfort...they are still alive. I think it's the price we pay for being our own bosses. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sara! Wow, it happened to you ONCE! You are truly a wise person. Saying "no" is my big problem, especially when a project is extremely interesting, or not very hard and well-paid, or, on the other hand, when it is challenging and I want to do it just to prove that I can... Working hard on that part of my character. Professionalism and gambling with your skills don't go together very well.
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