Underpricing Isn't Humility. It's Ego.

A client once told me that she couldn't help herself: she was regularly offering discounts before her clients even asked for them.

"Why do you think you do that?," I asked.

"Because I'm trying to be fair," she replied.

"Fair to whom?" I asked.

The question lingered in the air.

"I don't want to take advantage or seem like I'm greedy."

And there it is. She's not pricing based on the client's outcome. She wasn't thinking about the client at all, despite what she thought. She was concerned with her own image in the client's mind.

That's not humility. That's ego.

It's a trap because it feels like you're looking out for the client when, in fact, you're really protecting your image of yourself.

Ego, whether rooted in arrogance or insecurity, creates friction, friction that restricts your ability to assess your clients' needs, how you position and discuss your work, and ultimately, how you price it.

Here are a few real-life symptoms:

• You discount before you are asked

• You rush to justify the fee with extra explanation

• You propose the “safe,” lower-priced option even when you know it will not solve the real problem

• You quietly expand the scope to “justify” the fee in your own mind

 Ego is attention-seeking. It can seek attention through status, but it can also seek attention through approval.

 Here's the thing about that anxiety: it's completely one-sided.

 I met with a potential client yesterday who reached out to me with specific issues he needs help with, and he thinks I'm the professional who can guide him to solutions.

 You know one question that never came up?

"Hey John, may I help you with your anxiety?"

That didn't even cross his mind. So why would I be anxious? There's no reason to be.

Your clients aren't thinking about your anxiety (unless you're sweating all over your legal pad). They're thinking about their problem.

Price to solve that problem, not to manage your image.

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash

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I'm John, author of The Generosity Mindset. I help expert-service professionals build confidence, raise prices, and grow through generosity instead of hustle. My book makes a good holiday gift if you know someone wrestling with pricing anxiety.