4 Secret Mindset Shifts to Make to Build a Successful Portfolio Career
When I first started building my portfolio career, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t have a plan, a niche, or even a clear sense of where I was headed. All I had was this vague idea that I wanted work that felt more like me.
What I didn’t realize at the time is that figuring out what you like—and what you don’t like—is one of the most important, and often overlooked, parts of the process. You don’t just stumble upon your dream portfolio career. You build it by trying things, learning as you go, and being brutally honest with yourself.
Here’s what I learned about finding your way in those early days—and what I wish someone had told me when I was starting out.
Experiment without overcommitting
The early days of a portfolio career are for exploring. Forget “perfect fit” or “forever projects”— this is the time to dip your toes into as many ponds as possible.
Say yes to short-term gigs, one-off collaborations, or even volunteer projects. The goal isn’t to find the thing right away; it’s to start gathering data.
Ask yourself:
Did this work energize or drain me?
Was I excited to start my day, or did I dread it?
Did this align with what I value—or pull me away from it?
I once said yes to an advisory project in an industry I thought I’d love while I was looking for full-time employment. It was high-paying and looked great on paper. But the day-to-day was…rough. I felt out of sync with the people I worked with and the work didn’t excite me.
Lesson learned: Just because it sounds good doesn’t mean it will feel good. Nor is it worth your energetic investment. But, life is full of surprises. So let go of your attachment to the outcome and laern as you go.
Follow what feels right
You know that feeling when you’re in the middle of something, and time just flies?
Pay attention to those moments.
A few months into building my own portfolio career, I kept a mental list of the work that made me feel alive: facilitating group workshops, collaborating with creative thinkers, and diving into big-picture strategy. I also noticed what drained me: endless back-and-forth emails and rigid content development processes that were old school.
Here’s a simple practice to try:
For a week, jot down the tasks that give you energy and the ones that sap it.
Reflect on the patterns. What feels fun, effortless, or meaningful? What feels heavy or unnecessary?
The key isn’t just noticing what you like—it’s being willing to walk away from what you don’t.
Pivots are not failures
The reality is that not everything you try is going to work out. That’s not failure; that’s discovery.
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was sticking with projects a few weeks longer than I should have because I thought quitting would look and feel bad. But the truth is, walking away from the wrong fit isn’t quitting — it’s making space for something better.
Every pivot teaches you something about where you don’t want to go, which is just as valuable as knowing where you do.
Reflection is a non-negotiable
Building a portfolio career isn’t about throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. It’s about reflecting on what works and making intentional adjustments day after day.
Here’s a reflection practice I use quarterly:
Where is the magic happening?
Where ISN’T the magic happening?
What do I want to do more of?
What do I need to release?
These check-ins have saved me countless hours of frustration. They’ve helped me fine-tune my projects, focus on what matters, and say no to things that don’t align.
So, how do you start?
If you’re in the early stages of building your portfolio career, here’s the best advice I can give you:
Start small. Say yes to experiments, even if they’re not perfect.
Track your energy. Notice what lights you up—and what drains you.
Don’t be afraid to pivot. Letting go of the wrong fit makes room for the right one.
Reflect often. Your career will evolve as you do—so check in with yourself regularly.
You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. The clarity comes through doing.
The Takeaway
Figuring out what you like and don’t like is how you build a career that feels alive.
I didn’t know where I’d end up when I started. But every “yes” and “no” brought me closer to the work that lights me up today.
And trust me —it’s worth it.
