I have to admit that when I heard the news of David Bowie’s death, I cried. A lot. I’m not exactly the fan type, but the guy really accompanied me throughout my teenage years, teaching me many things and helping me get through tough periods of my life. For those who are not into music it may sound silly, but I felt like I really knew the artist who changed pop culture forever. And last but not the least, I learnt English thanks to his songs.

But let’s forget about my fangirling side for a moment. There are many things that we as translators can learn from Bowie’s songs. If you’re wondering what the heck I am talking about, check out this five songs.

1. Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
   If there’s one thing David Bowie has taught us is that change can actually be a great solution – not only on a personal level, but also on a professional one. This doesn’t mean you have to repudiate all you’ve done until today to pack your bags and leave for the Maldives, but it may be useful to take a few minutes of your time to understand if there’s anything you’d like to change in your business. Do you feel like your website needs a fresh new template but you’ve been procrastinating it for ages? This may be the right moment to do something about it. If you are tired of working with the same old agency, why don’t you re-write your CV and start looking for new clients? Leave your comfort zone, and your business will thank you.
2. Cat people
   Okay, obviously this song is not about CAT tools, but we all have a bit of imagination, haven’t we? If you’re like me, you are not a fan of CAT tools. To be 100% honest, I am close to hating them. But CATs can be great allies of translators, and they can help you build a solid client base. Think about investing in a new one as a new year’s resolution.
3. Under pressure
   Raise your hand if you have ever felt like going crazy because of nightmarish deadlines, handwritten PDFs and endless pages of gibberish. The freelance translator’s path is paved with the unforeseen, and this can be challenging sometimes. However, as Freddie Mercury sang together with David, love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves, and you do love your job, right? So take a breath, do something nice and then nail that translation. You can do it. And you’ll suddenly feel a lot better, I promise.
4. Hang on to yourself
   People may try their best to bring you down, especially if you are moving your first steps in the world of freelance translation. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been asked the silly question: “When are you going to find a REAL job?” Don’t listen to them and keep on doing what you love. People are probably just envious: after all, they can’t go work in their PJs. Can you blame them? 😉
5. Heroes
   We can be heroes – and we are, indeed. Who else could manage to translate up to 3,000 words per day, be his own manager and PR, work as a blogger, learn something new everyday, take care of his own taxes, keep record of all invoices and still be convinced that there couldn’t be a better job in the world?