Yesterday, I discussed what freelancers can learn from Barack Obama. He brings a great message of hope and reminds us that together, we can do anything. Continuing along this similar theme, I take a look at the other presidential candidate in the United States. No, I’m not talking about Ross Perot.

Instead, we take a swing to the right and visit the Republican party where we find John McCain. Yes, freelancers have a lot to learn from this guy as well.

Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number

One of the first things that come to mind when people think about John McCain is his age. He’s easily one of the oldest presidential candidates in recent memory and people are concerned that he may not be suitable as president for this reason. He may be relatively healthy now, both mentally and physically, but how will be four years from now?

We all get older, but John McCain isn’t going to let his advanced age get in the way. You are only as old as you feel and this works both ways. If you’re looking to enter the world of freelance writing as a retiree, you can still do it. There are many freelance writers who are semi-retired individuals. This can help to supplement their income and positively fill their time. At the other end of the spectrum, you have younger individuals as well who want to do freelance writing. Some clients may scoff at their age, but if they can demonstrate a good level of maturity and great writing skills, then these freelancers are just as equipped to handle projects as any other.

Loyalty to Your Colleagues

There’s a story going around that when John McCain was captured during the Vietnam War, he had an opportunity to be set free. He asked if his fellow American soldiers would also be set free and he was told that they would not. Instead of jumping at the opportunity to go home, McCain opted to not leave his men behind. He stayed. Some people may call that stupidity, but others may call that loyalty.

While most freelance writers work on their own and not as part of a larger company, there is a certain level of camaraderie among freelancers. We can help one another improve our skills, find writing gigs, and develop our businesses. This isn’t just on an online basis either, because you can meet with your fellow online entrepreneurs in the real world as well. Meet, greet, and help one another.

Be Greater Than Yourself

One thing that the McCain campaign has been emphasizing is that John McCain always puts his country first and he is not afraid to cross party lines in order to get the job done. A short while ago, he even suspended his presidential campaign so that he could better deal with the economic crisis in the United States. Whether you believe these statements or not is one thing, but the message behind them is valuable.

Be greater than yourself and look beyond your immediate circle. It’s well and good to try and advance your career, but you also have to look out for the greater community as well. Help those in need. Be willing to set your differences aside from those who may challenge you, because there is always a greater goal.

Place Value in Your Experience

John McCain may be a little older than Barack Obama, but he also happens to be more experienced. This is an area where McCain is really trying to focus, because he can say with authority that he has been there and done that. The business of freelance writing is no different.

The best way to maximize your freelance writing income is to emphasize your prior experience, demonstrate your ability through your portfolio, and leverage your existing reputation. Show clients that you know exactly what you’re doing and that you can do it well.

Maverick!

I’m still not sure exactly what the McCain campaign is trying to achieve by using this word, but you surely noticed Sarah Palin’s excessive use of “maverick” during the VP debate. That’s got to mean something and I’m thinking it’s along the same lines of the “hope and change” branding that the Obama camp is trying to achieve. Barack Obama is trying to brand his message of hope and McCain is trying to brand himself as a maverick. I wonder if he’s trying to elicit a connection to that other Maverick for Scientology votes…