Like employees, free agents also need ways to benchmark their success. But being your own boss means you have to provide the structure, support, motivation and feedback on your own. Take our quiz to see how you score.

Part I: Balancing Work and Play

Despite the myth (you work from home? Party!), many freelancers have more trouble turning off than gearing up. The flip side of the workaholic is the play-baby, the person who is having such a good time enjoying his freedom that he isn't putting in enough hours to pay the bills. How do you rate?

Which best describes your morning workday routine?
a) Sleep late, make waffles, wash the dog, meander to work.
b) Wake up at a consistent time. Get out the door in under an hour.
c) Up at 6. Out at 6:20.

Lunch time! You:
a) Take two hours. Who's counting?
b) Head outside for a quick bite in the park.
c) Wolf down a Whopper while on Windows.

How many hours do you work a week?
a) 20 to 30
b) 30 to 50
c) 70 to 80

Part II: Continuous Improvement

At McCorporate Job, employees have incentives to keep sharpening their skills, from company-offered courses to tuition reimbursement. As a free agent, you have to create incentives for improvement yourself. Are you engaged in lifelong learning?

How many trade publications do you subscribe to?
a) What trade publications?
b) One to four
c) More than five

When was the last time you attended a career-related class, seminar or lecture?
a) In college. Ten years ago.
b) Within the past six months.
c) I have one in 10 minutes; my third seminar this week.

Do you take on tasks at the outside limit of your abilities?
a) Never. Why mess up a good thing?
b) I pursue more challenging projects periodically to keep pushing my skills.
c) I'm always shooting above my mark. Often, I can't complete what I set out to do.

Compared to this time two years ago, how would you rank the quality and/or size of your client list?
a) About the same.
b) More clients -- some of the same ones, and some better.
c) All new, better clients. But not good enough.

Part III: Honoring Your Pace of Progress

Without a boss handing out gold stars (or gold watches) for good work, some free agents fail to acknowledge their victories. Others go too easy on themselves, neglecting to compare their growth to that of competitors or believing that any small gain is a reason to splurge. Are you rewarding yourself appropriately?

Congratulations! You landed a new assignment or client. You:
a) Take the rest of the week off to celebrate.
b) Take yourself out to dinner.
c) Feel relieved. Then lament the better clients you still don't have.

A loyal client just switched to a competitor. You:
a) Figure you're better off without that client anyway.
b) Assess your performance for possible mistakes, then get back to work.
c) Cancel your dinner date and go into overdrive to replace the lost contract.

You've just completed a HUGE assignment. You:
a) Spend the rest of the day shopping -- after all, you've got that money coming in.
b) Take an hour break. See that new exhibit at the museum. Head back to work refreshed.
c) Start right in on the next assignment.

Part IV: Keeping up Your Contacts

Most free agents don't have the advertising budget of the Coca-Cola Corp. They have to rely on personal contacts to generate business. But this is your life, not a sales pitch. Are you balancing schmooze-time with down time?

How many hours do you spend networking each week?
a) I don't need to network.
b) 2 - 10
c) 10 - 20

How many industry-related networking organizations do you belong to?
a) There are industry-related networking organizations?
b) One to three
c) All of them. Do you know any more?

Do you have friends outside your field?
a) I don't have friends inside my field.
b) I have both work-related friends and non-career comrades.
c) Who has time for friends who can't benefit their career?

Results:

Mostly A's
Is this a job or a hobby? Are you afraid to really succeed? Even if you are making ends meet, you could tie them together more tightly with more effort. Yes, working for yourself means freedom, but without sufficient financial gain, a strong sense of accomplishment and continual growth, that freedom can feel like a burden.

Check the Web or your local phone book for an industry organization you can join now. By putting yourself in contact with others in your field, you'll begin the process of expanding your client roster, network and quality assessment. If you live in a remote area, a Web-based community can help do the same things.

Mostly B's
You seem to have your career in proper perspective. You're balancing hard work with healthy play. You are able to issue challenges to yourself and pat yourself on the back when you deserve it. You're involved in the industry beyond your own desktop, ensuring that you remain up-to-date and ahead of the curve.

Take a look at your answers again to see if you are weak in any specific area. If so, tap into your strengths to fortify your weaknesses. For example, if you have a strong network of connections but you haven't taken a career-related course in years, contact a few colleagues for great course suggestions.

Mostly C's:
You're working too hard and risk burning out. The fact is, all careers involve a growth trajectory. Yes, working for yourself is the Montessori model of success -- you go at your own pace -- but there still is a pace of progress you have to honor.