Whether your starting out in the freelance world or have been running a business for a while now, it can be tempting to say yes straight-away to potential new clients or projects when they appear. Do not do this. Not every project or client will be a fit for you and saying yes for the sake of business can bring you a whole world of pain.

So, how do you decide on whether the project or client is a good fit? Beyond your own due diligence on the client and your ability to work on the project or deliver what is needed, you can use “The Power of 2 out of 3” to helpd guide you.

The Power of 2 out of 3

In any working relationship whether it’s a new client, a project, or an order for goods, there are three main areas we want to analyze:

  1. GOOD WORK: Something that brings enjoyment or utility to you personally. This means you are excited by the project, you will enjoy doing it or delivering what is asked, it fulfills one of your personal values like “having an impact,” or it will be great for your reputation.
  2. FUCK-YOU MONEY: The compensation you will receive will grant you a substantial amount of financial independence or profit. For more on this concept, read here.
  3. TIME MASTERY: You’ll have more than enough time to do it and still be able to live your best life, you’ll have a lot of free time, the hours required are minimal, or you can be completely in charge and flexible with your time.

In my experience, it is rare (and almost unheard of) to get all three of these aspects in a job, contract, or relationship with a client or new deal. If you’ve got that, hold very tight (and send us the secret recipe please!); however, getting two of of these three is possible and, in fact, exactly what you should have in order to move forward.

Two out of three looks like:

a) You’re going to get to work on a project that will get you a lot of media coverage and improve your reputation (GOOD WORK) and you can work whenever you want and still have time for other projects (TIME MASTERY) but the money is just-okay.

b) You’re getting paid more than you’d earn in a year in the space of four months (FUCK-YOU MONEY) to work on a project you’re excited by (GOOD WORK), but the 4 month deadline means you’ll be working 50+ hours for most of the project.

c) You’re going to be paid higher than your usual hourly rate (FUCK-YOU MONEY) to work whenever you can to bill hours so you can get things done while the baby naps (TIME MASTERY) on a data entry project that is boring AF.

Each of those scenarios all sound solid, right? Yes, you might get frustrated with the area that’s missing, but you’ll be able to balance out those feelings about that one area with gratitude about the other two areas.

Do not, do not, do not take on work that fulfils just one area. The balance is not in your favour:

  • When you get fed up because your working 50 hours a week on a boring and repetitive task, that Fuck-You money won’t seem worth it when you realize you can’t even enjoy it and your burning through it with takeaway meals because you don’t have time to cook or clean and your spending a chunk of it on booze at the weekend to unwind.
  • There’s only so much momentum love for a project you’re working on can stave off stress and exhaustion that comes from an empty bank account and working all hours of the day.
  • It’s hard to be motivated to work on a project that you can do whenever you want if there’s no good pay and the task is boring or stressful.

Start analyzing your potential work to see if it brings you The Power of 2 out of 3 and see how much more ease and abundance you can bring to the health and happiness in your life.