Imagine you’re a craftsman. The tool of your trade? Time. Your workshop? The hours of your day. Picture your time like a handcrafted, Swiss-made watch—precise, complex, invaluable. When you’re providing a service, it’s akin to designing intricate pieces of that watch. If you don’t respect the delicate balance, the watch’s hands won’t move. If you don’t respect your time, you can’t expect others to.

What happens when you give away these priceless pieces recklessly? You’ll end up with a watch full of hollow spaces. When you don’t value your time, you’re signaling to others that it’s okay to devalue it too. The result? Your time is squandered, opportunities lost like sand slipping through fingers.

However, should you acknowledge your time’s worth, you’ll begin crafting a masterpiece. Each cog and wheel in place, every second accounted for. With this newfound respect, you’ll see change. Clients will take note, mirroring your reverence. The result is a grand watch of time, ticking perfectly, a monument to your worth.

Remember, your time isn’t a commodity on a bargain sale. It’s a precious gem that needs your utmost respect. When you are providing a service, it’s not just about the end product—it’s about valuing the time spent crafting that product. Respect your own time, and you’ll see a world that respects it too.

Stephen Boudreau serves as VP of Brand and Community at Virtuous Software. For over two decades, he has helped nonprofits leverage the digital space to grow their impact. To that end, Stephen co-founded RaiseDonors, a platform that provides nonprofits with technology and experiences that remove barriers to successful online fundraising. He is an avid (but aging) soccer player, audiobook enthusiast, and the heavily-disputed UNO champion of his household.

Copyright ©2023 Stephen Boudreau.