Have you ever resented the amount of money you accepted to do a job? It is time to stop! If you are clear about what you need to earn in order to be happy, you will never resent your work (or having a business). You will make good money and your clients will sense you are happy and confident in what you do. They will feel they are receiving a great product or service for a fair price.

Years ago, I was asked to present a seminar in a distant city. They asked me “What do you charge?” Having no idea what to say, I told them I would get back to them.

I called up my friend and colleague, Karen McCall, of the Financial Recovery Institute, and asked her how much I should charge. Truthfully, I wanted her to tell me what to do…but instead, she said:

“How much would you need to charge them in order to not resent doing the work?”

Her question sent me spinning.

I thought hard about her advice. At the time, I had a baby, and saw many clients on my client days. This seminar would take two days of my time, meaning I could not see clients, and would be away from my family.

I decided what I would need to charge in order to not resent the time and effort required. Then, I added an amount on top of this, a number that made me smile. I called it my “happy number.” Then I called them up and told them my fee, knowing I could negotiate down to my secret resentment number if needed, but I could not go below that number. To make a long story short, I asked for– and received– what I really wanted.

What about you? Are you earning enough to not resent your clients or boss? How much do you need to charge to not resent all the time and effort you put into your work?

Really meditate on this. You may resent the pay, or the time it takes, or the drain on your energy – whatever it is, take it into account. Once you know your number, it’s important to never go below it. If you do, it will never be worth it. The resentment number acts as a safety net – a way to know your secret bottom line. Of course, I want you to earn at your “happy number,” but knowing your resentment number will keep you from going too low.

Knowing your resentment number puts you in a win-win situation. Going back to my example, if they could not pay me what I wanted, I would have stayed home and enjoyed my family (win). Since they paid what I felt I needed, I did the work and was happy doing it (win).

We all have a resentment number. And I suspect we’ve all internally resented work at one point or another because we didn’t charge enough.

When you value what you do adequately, others value it too. I suspect you already know the number in your gut. Name it. Own it. Then, aim for your happy number.

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