A person who constantly lies has to remember a hundred stories. They have to remember all the stories they have told. And then they’re caught.
Imagine the cognitive load trying to keep up with the lies.
Lying is an extreme case, but every behavior has its challenges. With any behavior, you accept the challenges that come up with the behavior.
For instance, I don’t negotiate when working with new clients.
My reason is simple: price negotiation in freelancing is a race to the bottom. It’s a race I opted out of. There are other reasons too, but that’s a topic for some other time.
Every time I am asked to reconsider my prices (which itself is a red flag for me), my answer is, “I don’t negotiate.”
It helps me steer clear of uncomfortable conversations. A downside of taking this stand is that such conversations fall through.
I have made my peace with it. This simple principle helps me focus on clients who value my work. The increased focus shows in the quality of the work. It is worth way more than the bargain they could’ve asked for.
What about you?
Do you have such principles that make your life a lot simpler?
For instance, being disciplined about:
Keeping your personal and professional lives separate?
Not taking on credit card debts for things you can’t afford?
Beginning your day with a 20-minute run?
What else?
Simple principles
Sure do. For the first 10 years of my career I struggled with the tipping point of having to take clients and choosing them.
There are many factors but at the end of the day, when I was steadfast and aligned / in consensus with my own highest values (many people don’t know theirs,) I stopped doing work that I hated and in return, resulted in working with more people that I liked.
It was more than just a transaction — relationships were building and it was a symbiotic exchange.
The standard was excellence.