There's no way around it. Being a freelancer or running your own business is bloody hard work.
You’ll do a LOT of hard work as a business owner or freelancer to find clients and pick up projects before it starts paying off. If anyone tells you otherwise, they're probably not being completely honest with you. Plenty of small businesses take a few years to become successful and sustainable.
To be honest, I'm still in the 'putting in lots of effort for little return' phase myself. And that's ok! These things take time. But you have to keep putting yourself out there, and keep trying, even when it feels tough. Because if you don't, you're guaranteed not to get anywhere.
Do just a tiny bit every single week to get slightly closer to where you want to be. You might not feel like you’re moving very fast, but you’re making a hell of a lot more progress than the person who walked away after six months.