Do you believe in Good Karma Principle?

I believe that there are no two people in this world who would give you the exact definition of the Good Karma principle. Just like it is also true that this principle has a completely different importance for all of us. Also, I'm not quite sure, if my personal fascination with this concept has to do something with my freelance work. Either way, although being an unofficial and not entirely accepted, Good Karma can be treated as the most popular and widely spread system of belief (if I'm to say a "religion" I would still use the quote marks) among freelancers all over the world.

The first time I heard about Good Karma was from a client from Denmark, if I remember correctly. When I look back, I guess I was pretty tired and edgy after a series of problematic projects. I wrote something for him and I lost my nerves quickly. To my biggest surprise, he wasn't in the mood to fight. I think I owed him a revision or two, just to settle the score in the fair way. Yet, he paid me and took the current version. He said something like, it is what it is, but remember, what you did isn't the Good Karma way. Honestly, I thought this was nothing more than some revengeful mumbo jumbo, so I moved on in a careless way.

Yet, after a series of at least to say unusual events and bad outcomes with my next scenarios, I had no other choice than to do some reading about Good Karma. If you are asking me, it all comes down to what comes around goes around, sooner or later, this way or another. Yes, it is a stupid and childishly naive superstition, but I simply can't help myself. Guess this makes me be a helpless Good Karma believer.

The most interesting part is that Good Karma works for me. How? Well, I don't have any superpowers to punish clients who did me wrong, but I can find a piece of mind in the stressful situations and move on. How? Here's how it works for me.

When you work as a freelancer you have to have a lot of faith. And, I don't mean to have faith only in yourself, but the whole freelance universe around you. Why? Because you are pretty much helpless. That's why. All the people saying or thinking that freelancing is the ultimate victory of every working man or woman are either freelancer newbies or the guys who haven't spent a single minute working as freelancers. The whole system is against you. There's no equality in freelancing. One side is always stronger and shamelessly favored, and that's not you.

So, after a series of heartbreaking experiences, I have realized something. The worst thing is to be trapped in a loop of arguments and regret. A bad client actually kills you twice. The first time with you current project. The second time, by taking your positive energy you are supposed to invest in your next client, who is very probably a good guy, and who shouldn't take the blame for your previous troubles.

In my darkest moment, when it becomes perfectly clear that I'm not going to be paid less than I previously agreed or not to be paid at all, I don't even blink. I just say to my client, the Good Karma will take care of you. Actually, what you just did to me is the Bad Karma. Some invisible force will "compensate" all of my trouble with a better project and a better client. You, on the other hand, will pay with bad freelancer. So, in the end, the balance and justice will be restored in the universe.

I know it sounds totally ridiculous and crazy. But, can you just give Good Karma a fair try? The old me would try to win the lost battle. There's no justice for freelancers. I mean it. I would end up completely exhausted and with no money. This way, Good Karma gives me strength to move on. Good Karma helps me to survive. At the same time, Good Karma prevents me from becoming a bad guy of the freelance world. I'm not afraid of clients or the platforms I work on. I'm afraid of Good Karma. This is why, I have to be the best I can, even when the clients don't treat me fairly.

Does it really work? Honestly, I don't know. I didn't have time or desire to check what happened with the clients, who were supposed to be punished according to the Good vs Bad Karma principle. All the things happening to me in the aftermath of unpleasant experiences and failed projects, I used to associate with Good Karma. This is a reward for me and for my sacrifice. To tell you the truth, I think this is a reward of my decision not to give up actually, but at the end, does it really matter? Call it what you want, I call it Good Karma and it works for me. When I'm not playing according to the Good Karma rules, then I say to myself that I deserved what just happened to me.

So, what's my word of advice? Should we all become Good Karma believers? Of course, that's not necessary. Yet, you need to do something about your worst case scenarios. Trust me when I say. It's better to lose once than twice. You already lost one client. You already failed on one project. There's no need to do it again, just because you have all the anger in yourself, you have to deliver somewhere. Usually, at least in my case, with a client who has nothing to do with it.

I know that the world would be a perfect place, not only for freelancers, if all people are to believe and apply Good Karma principle. However, this isn't going to happen. Not now nor ever. This is an individual choice you have to make, just like I did. So, good luck, freelancer or not freelancer, client or provider, believer or skeptic, may the Good Karma force be with you.