Earn below your potential

[ghemachandar1]

Hello all!

Let me moot an idea that I’m sure would be contrarian and controversial - and not everyones cup of tea. But time and time again, it worked for me and never been more successful, contended and happy.

We all want to maximize our earnings, right? Nothing wrong with that and I was like that too. I was trying to grab maximum number of orders at highest possible price. I was probably working and earning handsomely. But slowly realized, that extra money is not worth all the head thumping. My experience of working suffered and a single minded focus on earnings left me offer sub-par service to my clients. For some reason, it didn’t feel good.

What I realized was: May be it’s better to aim to earn below your potential… and then take the prospect of financial growth to ‘longterm’.

Began working in that direction: Set my sole Gig price to reasonable price of $25. Set the limit orders to just 5! There was significant drop in earnings. But had offset the shortterms losses for longterm growth: Began forwarding a portion of earnings in Mutual funds.

The results were splendid!. Sure, I did find some 25% drop in earnings but found several advantages in trying to earn below your potential.

• More time for relaxation, introspection and quality time with friends and family. A better work-life balance in general.
• Steady business not bumpy. When you are maxing out your resources there is no room to expand in adversity. But played at a more conservative position… you have opportunity to expand/contract in different situations and absorb the bumps along the way.
• Opportunity to offer stellar customer service = fewer but valuable clients = repeat customers = some independence from Fiverr algo. (I can now survive for several months if Fiverr doesn’t show my Gig at all)
• You would actually enjoy work!
• Developes attitude of contentment which helps elsewhere in life.

But, two warnings:

1. I didn’t mean you should aim to earn less in life but take the focus of earnings to long period and not fret over daily fluctuations.
2. Advice not for newbies! You have enough trouble getting orders already. And also not for anyone who would disagree with the idea because if you disagree, you are probably in a position not suitable to be benefited by it.

[ghemachandar1]

I’m not aware of anyone else who does this, with probable exception of @writer99025

[writer99025]

I’m not aware of anyone else who does this, with probable exception of @writer99025

Yeah, what the folks here who ask me to raise my prices don’t understand is that my low prices allows me to set a delivery time of 29 days, so that I can work in a relaxed manner. Also this way I get bigger orders - $150-$400-$700 orders, regular clients who order every month and am generally at peace. I am never stressed here, like Ryan, for example.

[writer99025]

I’m not aware of anyone else who does this, with probable exception of @writer99025

But bhai to be honest, your situation is different from mine - you probably have a family, kids and have to provide for them, and have to earn more and more. I know how expensive schools are in metros these days. So giving up an extra income is more of a sacrifice for you than for me.

[misscrystal]

I am earning below my potential. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to relax.

[ghemachandar1]

But bhai to be honest, your situation is different from mine - you probably have a family, kids and have to provide for them, and have to earn more and more. I know how expensive schools are in metros these days. So giving up an extra income is more of a sacrifice for you than for me.

But bhai to be honest, your situation is different from mine - you probably have a family, kids and have to provide for them, and have to earn more and more. I know how expensive schools are in metros these days. So giving up an extra income is more of a sacrifice for you than for me.

I said family in the sense of parents & siblings. We both are unmarried, lol! 😂

I don’t need to have kids to know things are getting expensive. Here in Bombay it’s Real Estate. Damn! With so little land and so much NRI investment, the city’s property market is a phenomenon in itself.

Yet, I think it’s important to develop an attitude of contentment (not complacence). We have unique advantage of working from anywhere. If i cannot afford to live in this city - I’ll look for ways to increase income for sure - but will also consider moving to some non-metro like Vizag.

[ghemachandar1]

I am earning below my potential. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to relax.

I am earning below my potential. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to relax.

Let’s say there are two states in how you conduct business: State of Desperation and State of Comfort. My advice was not about coming from Desperation to Comfort - of course, you’ll have to work hard, very very hard. But it’s equally important that once you are comfortable, you make choices towards moderation so that you don’t fall back into desperation. (Sorry for the mental gymnastics, been always like this 🙂)

You appear to be in desperation, which is very unfortunate for a high-standing professional like you and can only hope best of your times are ahead.

[misscrystal]

I am earning below my potential. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to relax.

Let’s say there are two states in how you conduct business: State of Desperation and State of Comfort. My advice was not about coming from Desperation to Comfort - of course, you’ll have to work hard, very very hard. But it’s equally important that once you are comfortable, you make choices towards moderation so that you don’t fall back into desperation. (Sorry for the mental gymnastics, been always like this 🙂)

You appear to be in desperation, which is very unfortunate for a high-standing professional like you and can only hope best of your times are ahead.

once you are comfortable, you make choices towards moderation

Apparently that choice has been made for me by fiverr herself. 🍸

[sanverma96]

Hello all!

Let me moot an idea that I’m sure would be contrarian and controversial - and not everyones cup of tea. But time and time again, it worked for me and never been more successful, contended and happy.

We all want to maximize our earnings, right? Nothing wrong with that and I was like that too. I was trying to grab maximum number of orders at highest possible price. I was probably working and earning handsomely. But slowly realized, that extra money is not worth all the head thumping. My experience of working suffered and a single minded focus on earnings left me offer sub-par service to my clients. For some reason, it didn’t feel good.

What I realized was: May be it’s better to aim to earn below your potential… and then take the prospect of financial growth to ‘longterm’.

Began working in that direction: Set my sole Gig price to reasonable price of $25. Set the limit orders to just 5! There was significant drop in earnings. But had offset the shortterms losses for longterm growth: Began forwarding a portion of earnings in Mutual funds.

The results were splendid!. Sure, I did find some 25% drop in earnings but found several advantages in trying to earn below your potential.

• More time for relaxation, introspection and quality time with friends and family. A better work-life balance in general.
• Steady business not bumpy. When you are maxing out your resources there is no room to expand in adversity. But played at a more conservative position… you have opportunity to expand/contract in different situations and absorb the bumps along the way.
• Opportunity to offer stellar customer service = fewer but valuable clients = repeat customers = some independence from Fiverr algo. (I can now survive for several months if Fiverr doesn’t show my Gig at all)
• You would actually enjoy work!
• Developes attitude of contentment which helps elsewhere in life.

But, two warnings:

1. I didn’t mean you should aim to earn less in life but take the focus of earnings to long period and not fret over daily fluctuations.
2. Advice not for newbies! You have enough trouble getting orders already. And also not for anyone who would disagree with the idea because if you disagree, you are probably in a position not suitable to be benefited by it.

I completely agree with your post.

I’ve set my limit to 4 orders. I also don’t see the point of earning more if I don’t get time to enjoy life or spend the money that I earn.

You would actually enjoy work!

That’s more important for me than to earn more.

[writer99025]

But bhai to be honest, your situation is different from mine - you probably have a family, kids and have to provide for them, and have to earn more and more. I know how expensive schools are in metros these days. So giving up an extra income is more of a sacrifice for you than for me.

I said family in the sense of parents & siblings. We both are unmarried, lol! 😂

I don’t need to have kids to know things are getting expensive. Here in Bombay it’s Real Estate. Damn! With so little land and so much NRI investment, the city’s property market is a phenomenon in itself.

Yet, I think it’s important to develop an attitude of contentment (not complacence). We have unique advantage of working from anywhere. If i cannot afford to live in this city - I’ll look for ways to increase income for sure - but will also consider moving to some non-metro like Vizag.

Here in Bombay it’s Real Estate. Damn! With so little land and so much NRI investment, the city’s property market is a phenomenon in itself.

Agree, even in Bangalore real estate is expensive. But I made the smart move of building my own house after my father’s death, when I was only 23. That was the best thing I ever did. And that is directly responsible for my high quality of life. The things I did in the first 2 years after my father’s death were make or break for my life. Now I can say they have all come off well.

If i cannot afford to live in this city - I’ll look for ways to increase income for sure - but will also consider moving to some non-metro like Vizag.

Vizag is a GREAT city. AP is India’s #1 state in my opinion. In Chandrababu Naidu they have the best CM in India, if he remains in power for 10 years, he will completely transform that state. Vizag is like Bangalore was in the late 1990s, early 2000s. Bangalore has lost its way last few years, hopefully Vizag will do better.

[ssj1236]

I am earning below my potential. I don’t want to be. I don’t want to relax.

That makes two of us.

[ghemachandar1]

Here in Bombay it’s Real Estate. Damn! With so little land and so much NRI investment, the city’s property market is a phenomenon in itself.

Agree, even in Bangalore real estate is expensive. But I made the smart move of building my own house after my father’s death, when I was only 23. That was the best thing I ever did. And that is directly responsible for my high quality of life. The things I did in the first 2 years after my father’s death were make or break for my life. Now I can say they have all come off well.

If i cannot afford to live in this city - I’ll look for ways to increase income for sure - but will also consider moving to some non-metro like Vizag.

Vizag is a GREAT city. AP is India’s #1 state in my opinion. In Chandrababu Naidu they have the best CM in India, if he remains in power for 10 years, he will completely transform that state. Vizag is like Bangalore was in the late 1990s, early 2000s. Bangalore has lost its way last few years, hopefully Vizag will do better.

Agree, even in Bangalore real estate is expensive. But I made the smart move of building my own house after my father’s death, when I was only 23. That was the best thing I ever did. And that is directly responsible for my high quality of life. The things I did in the first 2 years after my father’s death were make or break for my life. Now I can say they have all come off well.

Definitely a smart move Writer!! You absolved yourself of a burden that takes a major part of anyones life and earnings.

[ghemachandar1]

In retrospect, I think my advice is just a Fiverr version of…