I was introspecting how much I undervalue myself when I undervalue my work.
Wake Up Call
Early morning, someone left a one-star review on my MusicKit book after buying it at the full price.
They complained about not getting a 75% discount I had mentioned. I was confused - why the f*ck would I offer such a huge discount?
Then I checked the referrer. It was my first blog’s books page. There it was: "Use discount code “early for a massive 75% discount!" I was selling it for five dollars.
That is how much I undervalued myself and my work back in 2021.
A friend who bought the book at $5 back then told me I was selling it too cheap. I brushed it off, thinking the price was right. Now, four years later, I see how valuable this book has been for MusicKit developers. There are just no resources out there for them.
Living as an Imposter
I have been living like an impostor. I know how much work it takes to write a book. It is a lot. But I did not value that work properly.
This was not just about pricing a book wrong. I did the same for an app that I worked on last month, and made it literally free. Things have not changed in the past four years.
It was a symptom of a deeper issue: imposter syndrome.
I did not believe I deserved more.
Why?
Why do we do this to ourselves?
For me, I realised that there are multiple reasons behind it. Starting with the fear of rejection. If I priced it higher, would anyone buy it? Oh, and the constant need for approval. If I priced it lower, then presumably more people would buy it. More people to validate my work. And that intertwines with lack of confidence. Is my work really worth more?
Creating something valuable work takes time and effort, and expertise. When I undervalue that, I am sending a message that my work is not good enough in the first place. Four years later, I have learned that my book filled a real need for MusicKit developers. By underpricing it, I was suggesting their needs were not important.
Moving Forward
I have been working heavily on this problem as if my life depends on it, because it does. When faced with self-doubt about my work’s value, I decided to step back and gain a third-person’s perspective.
When I made my app free, I hesitated to charge for it. When I finally gathered some courage to price it at $5 with an option to pay more, I was surprised to see several people willingly pay $20 for the same app that I was selling for free before. This external validation did opened my eyes to the revenue I lost due to questioning myself.
I also did my research to look into similar apps and realised that mine offered some unique value. Understanding the position in the market with an unbiased view helps to boost confidence about the pricing decisions.
Instead of underpricing, I now concentrate on providing more value. When my brain suggests the app or post is not good enough, I learned that it knows what could be better. Instead of lowering the price as a shortcut and a quick fix, I want to tread on the more difficult path of improvement. It is a win-win for both me and the users. I earn better, I grow more, and the app or post is improved too.
Overcoming self-doubt is a battle I fight every day, but one that is worth fighting.
Remember, your work has value. Your skills, your time, your expertise - they all matter. It is about respecting yourself, your craft, and the people who benefit from what you create. When you are tempted to undersell yourself, pause. Take that third-person perspective. Look at your work objectively. Chances are, you will see what others see: something worth paying for.
Happy shipping!
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