Value is in The Eye of The Beholder
October 31st, 2006 | Michael Pink
I want to answer my own question from yesterday’s email. The question was based on the premise… “If you can change the way you perceive your time and your value, you can improve your client acquisition rate and your billing rate. If this is true, is it ethical to do so?”
I believe value is like beauty… It is always in the eyes of the beholder. Let that sink in. Just because you don’t see value in a painting, doesn’t mean the next person wouldn’t. (Click here to see my wife’s paintings. Select people, places or things and you will see the places we’ve been and the people we love!) But here’s what’s important, selling is the transference of passion and passion is fueled by something we see clearly and which moves us deeply and those are the things we value.
If we don’t value our self or our work, others won’t either. Value perception begins within. I believe an understanding of what God has given us along with applied effort to steward and develop that gift, greatly enhances the value available to others. It is quite true however that many people clearly “over value” what they have to offer (just watch American Idol at the beginning of each season), but the market handles that by rejecting the asking price.
The bigger problem I see all too often is people “under value” what they have and offer diamonds for the price of cubic zirconia so to speak. In the process, they deprive the world of their diamonds because they are hidden on a discount rack with the cubic zirconia. Perhaps it is more a reflection of how they first see themselves and their own worth. When we adjust our thinking in that area first, we will be perceived quite differently in the market and the market will pay accordingly.
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October 31st, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Michael,
I agree when you say that people “under value” what they have. I really think this is one of Satan’s best weapons, low or poor self-image. If I can’t see myself being paid $3,000 per day then I will settle for $1000 per day and turn people away. Or, I will not put into action what it takes in order to reap $3,000 per day. My body will only go where my eyes can see.
I love your material!
JAS
October 31st, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Great series!!! What a response.
I believe that the church has bought into a poverty mentality. (I also agree that to many have bought into the prosperity doctrine). But somewhere in between is the truth of God. He desires to bless his children and this includes prosperity. Most of the heros of the faith were rich men in their time.
God has chosen to partner with us in advancing His kingdom. This involves outreach, discipleship AND financing this advancement.
Most of the large givers in the church are business men and women who make a lot of money. They make a lot of money because they understand that God is going to use them to help finance His kingdom. As they give, He gives more.
But, this giving is a result of their obedience and of their realization of their God-given gifts. Yes, their passion helps fuel their success.
November 1st, 2006 at 4:04 am
Great Insight!!! I have been witnessing to a young women at my job who is in a dilemma over continuing a relationship with someone who has little regard for her based on how he treats her. The heart of her problem is she sees herslf as cubic zerconia and is willing to sell herself short. The same problem many believers have in regard to the gifts that God has given us. And that is the point it is not the fact that we are of tremendous value in and of ourselves but God working through us makes us of inestimable worth and value
November 1st, 2006 at 4:51 am
I like the way you answered this question from yesterday. I was going to comment on it myself, but I had too much to say. You boiled it down to the essence of truth, and I appreciate that.
November 1st, 2006 at 5:24 am
Thanks for this answer. I also was going to answer yesterday, but then got lost in too much verbage with too little Scriptural basis.
Low self worth is indeed one of Satan’s best weapons, in that he tries to make me forget that as a believer, I am a child of the King, and as such I have infinite worth. After all He Himself died for me! So what are my services worth to my company? If I am working as a servant to Jesus in all of my efforts for the corporation, then how dare I devalue myself??? How dare I think that I am overpaid if I am indeed in this position because God put me here to do His work? Yet, as was stated by others, I must recognize that my value is in Him and in my being available to Him for His work, and I must gorify God in all of it. All the rest, including the high salary or commision or benefits or whatever, is temporal anyway, and is only good if used God’s way to further His Kingdom.
So I guess my conclusion in all of this boils down to one thing: Where is my focus? Am I focused on God, including the pricing of my services? Or am I focused on my bank account? The first is of infinite worth beyond our imagination. The second of no worth at all. The question is not “What is wrong (i.e. is it ethical or not) with the increased price of my goods or services?” But rather the question is “How will this glorify God?”
November 1st, 2006 at 5:36 am
Thank you Norman! The Lord just used you to speak to me! A LOT of good truth in your statements that I guess I needed to hear!
November 1st, 2006 at 5:38 am
That’s a great quote, Michael! “Selling is the transference of passion and passion is fueled by something we see clearly and which moves us deeply and those are the things we value.” I can use that!
November 1st, 2006 at 5:42 am
I always under value our services and have strugled with this since I started our company, Sun Surveillance. Sun Surveillance is a company that is based on an idea sent to my brother from God after praying for uncommon wisdom. I read this post this morning and then we read a few chapters in Romans. Then I came across this verse in Romans chapter 12 verse 3 where Paul says “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. (NIV). I think this sums up what your saying.
November 1st, 2006 at 7:01 am
I know I have been challenged with “worth” both outside of and within my business. What has been helpful to me is working on the “how much is enough” question. This has freed me to allow God’s resources to flow through me for His purposes. I am thankful everyday for the blessings I am surrounded with. I can release the “guilt” of success - because I am passing it on for Kingdom work - how fun! I can release the “pride” for it is not I, but God who works through me. We live in this world, but are not of this world - different perspective, different results - lots of hard work and challenges to keep the focus
November 1st, 2006 at 7:03 am
Mike, I had a chance to re-read this post this AM and am a little more alert…
I’m in an indusrty where the norm is to low ball a rate and fee just to get the deal and then charge the normal structure once it’s time to close. This is provided by law with a Good Faith Estimate. There is absolutely nothing binding with it, but consumers make decisions every day usually based on price alone. A mortgage loan is considered by most to be a commodity and they usually search for the cheapest rate/fee structure.
What they don’t realize is the amount of work that can go into packaging a loan and getting it to close on time and the ramifications of the wrong loan or the wrong structure.
I choose to not play that game. I know what I am worth and I am not the cheapest. I’m also no where near the most expensive. But I stand behind my origional quotes to the best of my ability. I’m not afraid of competition, but won’t get sucked into a bidding war. I don’t need the business that bad. I have found that the clients that scream the most for a low rate/fee will usually be the most trouble throughout the process, and will never truly be happy with my service.
Every time I quote a rate or take on a new client they get my years of experience and my team. Most of my clients know that and many of the realtors I work with trust me with their paychecks.
When the rubber hits the road, I’m an incredible bargin. I operate with integrity, have submitted my life and business to God and my clients get the benefit of working with one of God’s chosen ones. (not pride or arrogance, princely confidence.)
November 1st, 2006 at 7:31 am
I was a little late on this, as I just read yesterdays email and responded thinking it was todays.
Larry, you are right on target. Part of what I posted on yesterdays topic was this:
As Christians we should offer the highest quality product, do the best possible work, we should be the easiest to get along with and we should always be good for our word. If those things right there don’t add value then I don’t know what would.
You are also right in that the clients seeking the lowest price alone are usually the one that require the most work, are never satisfied and often are the hardest to collect pay from. If I even get a hint someone is seeking low price above everything I will cut and run.
The qualities of my business mentioned above take me out of this budget category. I will not devalue my services and allow myself to be taken advantage of.
Great topic Michael!
Thanks!
November 1st, 2006 at 12:23 pm
That is absolutly the way I perceive and acknowledge my giving, always the best service even if not rewarded at the moment , at the end of the journey, people acknowledges whom was what, when and how.
A good name is better than rubies, and if we represent Jesus Christ in the earth, lets do everything as unto Him.
Lets face it, we are unique, and none of us is the same, we need to honor our time and our fellow man, remember the best value in life is intangible.
Thank you!
November 3rd, 2006 at 2:28 am
Wonderful message and GORGEOUS paintings. Your wife is very gifted. Your wife has the quality of the old masters.
Michaeal, we start our day with the Word of God and your e-mail. God bless you and your ministry real good!
November 3rd, 2006 at 9:59 am
The issue of value is realted to the issue of beauty (which is a kind of value). But are beauty and value(s) really in the “eye of the beholder”? To answer “yes” is to say that there are no standards for beauty or value(s) beyond one’s self. And I’m sure that you don’t think that. Yet, you answered yes.
Are there no objective (or community or biblical) standards for beauty? There are. And that means that there is more to this than simply being in the proverbial eye of the beholder.
Value perception does not begin within, it begins with God and with properly understanding His Word. God is the author of both beauty and of value. God defines it, so we must begin with His defintion, not our own.
November 6th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
True Phillip. As we find out what God values, and as we start to value the same things we will find ourselves being transformed into His image.
Ps 37:4 speaks of delighting ourselves in the Lord in order to receive the desires of our hearts. But a broader look at scripture would bring a reader to conclude that as we delight ourselves in God He will transform our hearts to desire the things that He delights in. What kind and loving father wouldn’t give his children the very things the father delights in.
As we are transformed we will find value not only in the things of God, but also in ourselves, for we are made in God’s image. The way we interact with others should also be impacted.
We should have a godly hunility AND confidence in our work and the value we bring to the workplace.
But I will agree with all. The confidence and value is ultimately from God and without Him there is no real value.