Paolo, you often encourage freelancers to explore multiple disciplines as a way to diversify their income. Could you elaborate on that?

Absolutely. When I talk about freelancers being curious enough to mix different disciplines into their work—and, by doing so, creating the multiple income streams they need—I’m pushing them to think beyond the boundaries of their main skill or profession. It’s about embracing the reality that diversity of skills can open up new opportunities, create resilience, and ultimately lead to a more sustainable and fulfilling freelance career.

Too often, freelancers are told to specialize—to become hyper-focused on one skill or one niche because that’s where they’ll supposedly find success. But here’s the thing: the world today is moving fast, and the demand for versatility is growing. If you lock yourself into one skill set, you become vulnerable to shifts in the market, to changes in technology, or even to trends that make your specific niche less relevant over time.

That’s why I encourage freelancers to be curious, to explore other areas, and to integrate multiple disciplines into their work. This doesn’t mean being a jack-of-all-trades and mastering none—it means developing cross-functional skills that complement each other. Think about it like this: if you’re a graphic designer, why not explore photography, animation, or branding? If you’re a writer, could you dive into content strategy, editing, or even social media management? The more you bring to the table, the more options you create for yourself.

And it’s not just about survival—it’s about thriving. By blending disciplines, freelancers can start to create multiple streams of income that aren’t tied to just one area. Maybe you’re designing websites for clients, but you’re also offering social media consulting, or you’re building a digital product, or creating a course. Each of these income streams gives you more freedom—you’re not reliant on one type of work or one kind of client. This gives you flexibility and security in a market that’s always changing.

But beyond the financial aspect, it’s also about keeping your creative curiosity alive. If you stick to just one thing, you risk becoming bored, stagnant, or stuck in a rut. But when you explore other areas, you bring new perspectives into your core discipline. It’s about cross-pollination—skills and insights from one field can spark innovation in another. A freelancer who blends writing with design, or programming with strategy, is bringing something unique to the table that no one else can.

This kind of curiosity also makes you more adaptable. When the market changes—and it will—you’re not scrambling to reinvent yourself. You’ve already been experimenting, learning, and evolving, so you can pivot with ease. This adaptability is what will keep freelancers ahead of the curve, especially in an economy that’s increasingly valuing agility and innovation.

So, when I talk about freelancers creating multiple streams of income through curiosity, it’s about building a career that’s not only more resilient but also more exciting and rewarding. It’s about exploration and finding ways to connect your skills in ways that make you more valuable and more in control of your future. You stop thinking of yourself as just a “graphic designer” or a “copywriter,” and you start seeing yourself as a creator of opportunities, someone who has the freedom to shape their career in a fluid, dynamic way.

Curiosity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity for freelancers who want to stay relevant, financially secure, and creatively fulfilled in today’s world.