Spinning your wheels on low-paying gigs only leaves you feeling emptier. This article distills four key insights from my workshop: why you shouldn't take low-paying projects, how to target high-paying niches, how introverts can market themselves, and how to find clients who resonate with your values. If you've ever wrestled with your worth and self-doubt, this might point you in a new direction.Don't take on projects at rock-bottom rates—it'll cost you your health and won't get you very far.
When I heard the speaker say this at yesterday's symposium, it truly struck a chord with me. Although I'm currently working at a company, that state of affairs feels all too familiar.
Have you ever felt this way? Despite having solid skills, you keep getting stuck with low-paying gigs (or high-pressure companies); you burn the midnight oil only to produce "low-quality work" that can't even make it into your portfolio.
The more I do, the emptier I feel. Time and energy are being drained away, yet I haven't built up any quality work that truly represents me.
I refuse to be picked and chosen by the market anymore. I'm sick of that helpless feeling—like I'm just a piece of pork, being compared, haggled down until I'm practically broken. After putting in so much effort, the client still ends up choosing the cheaper option.
This seminar got me thinking: How can I transition from "passively comparing prices" to "actively choosing"? How can I personally select the "dream clients" I want to collaborate with?
Insight One: It's not pork—refuse to be a passive price-comparison tool.
I've always been prone to self-doubt. Once removed from the company's team and systems, it feels like I've lost my purpose. The direction of my efforts seems misguided, and the more I work, the more I question myself.
But now it appears the problem may lie with the platform's "races."
If you start out by defaulting to being a low-cost market commodity, then customers will naturally only measure you by price.
The speaker mentioned that "you can target high-end markets from the very beginning." You must first believe you are worthy before you can begin to reposition yourself.
However, I must first prove my ability to enter this market. This "proof" isn't empty talk; it requires concrete data, case studies, and a high-quality proposal to substantiate it.
Insight 2: When sharing portfolios with peers, high-value clients focus on the "solutions."
"Portfolios are for peers to see; proposals are for clients to see."
This was probably the most memorable line from the entire symposium.
I always spend too much energy thinking about "visuals" to make my portfolio look prettier, but sometimes clients don't care about how flashy your techniques are. What they care about is:
- Do you truly understand my pain points?
- How do you break down my requirements?
- What kind of logical thinking lies behind your design?
- What kind of "solution" can you ultimately provide for me?
A well-crafted proposal is marketing in itself. It doesn't sell how great you are; instead, it shows clients how you think and how you create value.
This also made me think about the "sequence of proposals and quotations."
Perhaps a quote is never just about throwing out a number; it must naturally emerge only after fully presenting the "value" and "solution."
Insight Three: For introverts, marketing is about "honestly showing your thought process."
Alright, I understand that I need to target high-value markets and use solutions to demonstrate value. But the next question is: "How do I market myself?"
As an introverted Type I, the word "marketing" always makes me a bit anxious. I don't want to over-package or push too hard, yet I still hope to be seen and understood.
I know my strategy leans toward "passive × high time investment," gradually building my knowledge base and credibility through managing Instagram, Threads, and my website blog. I hope others will understand what I'm thinking and what I can do through my shared content.
The speaker's concept of "proactive development" presents a challenge to me, yet it also opens up new possibilities.
Rethinking "marketing" should be more like "an honest process of showcasing thought and value."
Try treating "taking the initiative" as a practice exercise. For instance, start with your network from your previous company or businesses you regularly interact with (like the optician where you get your glasses fitted). Practice how to naturally strike up a conversation, introduce yourself, and offer your services.
If we stop treating it as "sales" and instead see it asThe Process of Building Trust and Creating OpportunitiesWill the inner resistance diminish? I'm still experimenting.
Insight 4: Finding clients is like finding a partner—the key lies in being on the same wavelength.
When the speaker mentioned "like-minded customers," I thought of an analogy:
Finding clients is much like finding a partner. Rushing into a partnership before truly understanding each other is like getting married without dating first—you might end up wasting your time, youth, and energy.
The truly right clients are those who understand each other's values and pace, rather than just focusing on price.
This brings us back to the core of "value": the price of a product isn't about being high or low, but whether the other party perceives it as "worth it."
The key task at hand is not to "lower prices" to cater to the market, but to "enhance customer awareness" so clients clearly understand the value and outcomes they receive for every dollar spent.
Final Thoughts: Reclaiming the Power to Choose
This discussion made me realize that my current job isn't what I truly want. What I want is the freedom to choose my direction and my clients, rather than being confined within a framework defined by others.
To break free from the cycle of low-price competition, the first step is to stop doubting yourself and start holding yourself to the standards of the premium market.
Think in terms of solutions; communicate in terms of value.
This path isn't easy, but I know I'm heading in the right direction.
💬 What do you think? What about you? Are you also stuck in the cycle of "working harder yet feeling emptier"? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.
