Many freelancers begin by undercharging for their work and then get stuck in an endless cycle of mediocre gigs. This is because when they’re just starting out, getting gigs is more important to them than finding the right clients who pay them what they’re worth. And so they get trapped – both financially and professionally – because they’re settling for less interesting projects and lesser clients.

Here are 5 reasons freelancers get stuck in undercharging mode.