If you were to ask a divorced woman, mother of three, struggling to get by, whether or not $1,000 was a lot of money, she’d say—yes, that is what I need to feed my kids.
If you were to ask a successful New York lawyer, slick in his suit and tie, whether $1,000 was a lot of money, he’d say—no, that’s what I charge for an hour.
If you were to ask a fashion assistant, hungry for the world, whether $1,000 was a lot of money, she’d say—that’s what credit cards are for.
If you were to ask an entrepreneur, who eats risk for breakfast, whether $1,000 was a lot of money, he’d say—depends, how much money will I make in return?
And if you were to ask yourself whether $1,000 were a lot of money, you’d say ___________________________?
Cost is in the eye of the beholder.
One of the worst things you could do, then, is ask the improper person for their opinion on what you’re charging. My businessman fiancé, for example, having grown up in a developing country, still considers $10,000 to be a lot of money. And yet, it was hardly 24 hours before Heidi and I were booked solid for the London photoshoot and strategy sessions—each of which costs $10,000. (There’s now a sizable waiting list.) (And no, I didn’t consult him on what he thought first!)
A person’s perception of cost is a person’s reflection of their own money story.
And guess what? You aren’t in the business of letting everyone else’s story inform yours.
Don’t look for opinions. Look for evidence.
What you’ve done every single day of your life is worth noting.