In general professional service firms aim for a balance between three goals: profitability, professional satisfaction, and client service. As a freelancer, I tr

In general professional service firms aim for a balance between three goals: profitability, professional satisfaction, and client service. As a freelancer, I try to satisfy the same goals. I want a good income. I want my work to be enjoyable, rewarding, and make me grow. And I want my clients to be happy. All three of those are genuine ends in themselves. If any is missing, I'll be unhappy. If I'm not earning enough, I'll be worried. If I'm making a fortune but doing horrible work, I'll yearn all day for something else. If I'm eagerly diving into the latest tech but my clients are dissatisfied, I'll feel like I don't deserve their business. Each goal is also a means to the other two, but it's important to keep that in the background. Of course I'll earn more if I keep my clients happy, but if that's my only motivation, things will eventually break down. One reason I freelance is that I value the interpersonal side of software development, meeting with clients and helping them achieve their goals. There are projects I've really sought that didn't pay as well I could make but were interesting or would let me develop new skills. There are projects I've sought because of who I could work with. I'm willing to give up some cash for those ends. I'm still financially motivated, but I like my job and I take pride in it, so money isn't everything.