It once cost me €14,000 to say “yes” to a project that every instinct warned against. Something about their timeline feels weird. The budget seems misaligned with their expectations. But hey, the money’s not bad and they’re really counting on me…
That client relationship ended in mutual disappointment. I delivered work that met our agreement but missed their unspoken expectations. They paid reluctantly, feeling they’d overspent for underwhelming results. We both walked away unsatisfied, despite my technical fulfillment of the contract.
What I didn’t realize then was that my hesitant “yes” wasn’t just a disservice to myself, it was a disservice to them. By ignoring the misalignment I sensed, I prevented them from finding someone who would have been genuinely enthusiastic about their vision and better equipped to bring it to life.
When you say yes to the wrong client, you’re occupying space in their journey that should belong to someone better suited to their needs. You’re also preventing yourself from being available to the right clients. It’s like forcing together puzzle pieces that almost fit; they may lock together with enough pressure, but the picture will always be distorted.
What opportunity might you need to decline this week, not just for your sake but for theirs? Remember that your “no” creates space for a better “yes” for everyone involved.
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