Don’t expect someone else to know what your skills and talents are worth. If you let others determine your salary, it’s a safe bet you’re being underpaid. You must take the initiative and ask for what you want. If the price you ask is fair and reasonable and if there’s genuine social demand for the value you can provide, someone will surely pay you for your efforts.
Don’t be timid or wimpy when it comes to asking for money. That’s a sign that you don’t believe in your value. If you really can’t provide what you’re claiming you can, then don’t ask to be paid until you’re ready. But if you know you can contribute genuine value, summon the courage to ask for fair compensation in exchange. Be direct, but be able to build a solid case for why you deserve it.
Use the heart question to help guide you toward principle-centered income-generating opportunities. Ask yourself: Does this path have a heart? If the answer is no, then let it go and invest your time and energy elsewhere. Have the courage to put human beings first, money second. Honor what your conscience tells you. If it feels wrong, it is wrong. Even if it feels neutral, it’s still wrong. Never chase soulless profits.
Even when you’re on the heart-centered path, you’ll need courage to stay there. Sometimes you’ll need to defend against dishonorable attacks. It’s unfortunate when that becomes necessary, but it happens. I (Steve Pavlina) am happy to say that having been in business for most of my adult life, I’ve never sued anyone. However, there have certainly been times when I found it necessary to defend myself, such as when hackers and spammers attacked my Website. Even when you do your best to genuinely help people, you may need to deal with those who have no qualms about trampling on others for their own personal gain. If you know you’re on the path with a heart, don’t let such problems dissuade you for continuing. Do your best to recover and keep moving forward.
Sometimes you’ll be surprised by the support that comes your way when you demonstrate your commitment to putting people first. On multiple occasions, hackers have e-mailed me to let me know about a security flaw in my Website configuration, including offering advice on how to fix it. Instead of using their skills to harm my site, they actually helped protect it. I’ve found that the more I align my work with truth, love, and power, the more goodwill I generate, and the more I receive support from unexpected sources. When you commit yourself to the heart-centered path, it will often seem as though the universe backs you up.
* Source: Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina