Do you ever "sell yourself short"?

@TheHorse (124905)

Walnut Creek, California

February 22, 2021 12:20pm CST

"Selling yourself short" is a term that refers to not taking enough credit, or not charging enough, for the things you do. At least that's how I interpret it. I suppose it could also mean excessive (sincere) modesty. Is there a similar term in your native language? I've been selling myself short a bit at my friend's preschool. Not only do I not know what days I'm working, but I've been writing her flyers, statements of purpose and schedules (at home) for much less than I would usually charge for such a thing. I guess it's because I want to be as helpful as I can as she gets her small business off the ground. Do you ever "sell yourself short"?

26 people like this

23 responses

@DaddyEvil (34564)

• United States

22 Feb

Yes, all the time... I just edited a manuscript for a friend. Normally, I charge a flat rate for that but this is her first book so she really doesn't have the money but she really needed help... Her spelling is atrocious and she uses run-on sentences that drive me crazy... I did it for her for free. *sigh*

6 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

I edited a friend's "teaching writing" book for free several years ago. Now I regret it.

3 people like this

@DaddyEvil (34564)

• United States

22 Feb

@TheHorse Why do you regret it, pony?

3 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

@DaddyEvil Because I assumed she'd help me in a similar situation in the future. She did not.

3 people like this

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@marlina (119142)

• Canada

22 Feb

You are really selling yourself short here.

6 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

Heh. My middle name.

3 people like this

@CarolDM (118732)

• Nashville, Tennessee

22 Feb

I have been told many times that I do this often. I just don't care about attention or credit.

5 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

I am not big on attention (a part of why I like to play bass), but I do sometimes like credit for stuff I do. I've been "ghost author" at several jobs.

3 people like this

@kaylachan (13941)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

22 Feb

I think I've been accused of that. Mostly because I refused to go to college after I graduated high school. There was nothing I was really interested in at the time, and after seeing a lot of people I know attend college, burn themselves out only to not use the degree they went to school for.... or get paid next to nothing for.... I am not really in a hurgy to go back to school now. So, maybe I am or maybe I'm being pratical.

4 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

I admit that I like learning and am glad I went to college.

2 people like this

@kaylachan (13941)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

22 Feb

@TheHorse I wish I could agree. By the time I reached high school, I was ready to quit. I also wasn't going to let people bully me into doing something, just because that's what they wanted for me. If I'm going to spend money to go to school, it had better be because I want to.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

@kaylachan That makes sense. I wasn't forced, though I was "strongly encouraged." I just remember learning some cool things. To this day I have parts of some poems memorized, Piaget's developmental stages memorized, etc., and I can compute the depth of a vertical mine shaft based on how long it takes for a rock I drop to hit the bottom. Random stuff, admittedly, but cool. And I can write Haiku! does college matter? I know idiots who went and smarties who dint. Heh.

2 people like this

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@JimBo452020 (42615)

• Montrose, Scotland

23 Feb

Nah I learned years ago that selling myself short is the worst thing I could do. I would not drop my prices, ever, If I do that So will my competitors and we all got together and we basically all charge the same, And it works,

2 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I have upped my prices slightly over the years, but not to the point where I get what I deserve.

1 person likes this

@JimBo452020 (42615)

• Montrose, Scotland

23 Feb

@TheHorse Nothing wrong with upping prices my friend. Need to keep it inline with inflation, just to break even on the year before

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

@JimBo452020 I will do my best.

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@Shiva49 (18956)

• Singapore

23 Feb

I think I have done it all my life! I was asked to help out at a lady's business venture and it turned out a nightmare. I had to do all jobs which others didn't want to touch with a barge pole while my initial task was only accounting and finance. And my pay was negligible too. It was tough to find a replacement but I managed after two years. What a relief in the end!

2 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

You found a better job?

2 people like this

@Shiva49 (18956)

• Singapore

23 Feb

@TheHorse I had a job but my friend requested me to help that lady. I was not looking for a job really. So after that, I did not need another part time job.

@FourWalls (31500)

• United States

22 Feb

I’m only 5’4” so I always do!!

2 people like this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

Eh, that's not that short for a female.

2 people like this

@LadyDuck (327498)

• Switzerland

23 Feb

In Italian we say "ti stai sottovalutando", it means that you do not portrait yourself in in the best way that's fair to you. I do all the time.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

Ah, thanks! I was wondering how the same concept was portrayed in other languages.

1 person likes this

@LadyDuck (327498)

• Switzerland

23 Feb

@TheHorse In French "se sous-estimer".

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@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

@LadyDuck One "under-estimates"? No stock market reference there.

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@DocAndersen (35159)

• United States

23 Feb

Sell yourself short is an interesting term. When a person says it to another person they are encouraging them to be brave and let the world know they are good. when its a stock sold short, you are betting on failure. interesting - one hand driving success the other hand profit from failure.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

Yep, I almost mentioned that the term must have come from selling a stock short, but I didn't bother to research it.

1 person likes this

@DocAndersen (35159)

• United States

23 Feb

@TheHorse i have no idea, just made me chuckle this morning when I read your post!

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

@DocAndersen Heh. I'm always glad to make someone chuckle. But actually, in the stock market, don't you BUY a short if you're expecting that stock to go down?

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@RasmaSandra (39715)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

23 Feb

You need to be more assertive in this matter. Since I am always looking high and low to make money with my writing I attempt to praise myself to the heavens.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I need to learn to make myself sound even better than I actually am. I know I'm a decent musician, and a decent writer, but that's all I can say. Wait. I am a brilliant kid psychologist. I can be cocky about that.

1 person likes this

@RasmaSandra (39715)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

24 Feb

@TheHorse that's the idea

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

24 Feb

@RasmaSandra I will work on it.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (58993)

• United States

23 Feb

I've always done extra with every job I've ever had; but it usually led to a promotion; so that was OK. I've tried to always believe "that I'm worth it" even though I have a bit of an inferiority complex.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

Sometimes feeling "one-down" can motivate us to achieve.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (58993)

• United States

23 Feb

@TheHorse Yes, plus I have a "people-pleaser" personality.

@WorDazza (16055)

• Manchester, England

22 Feb

I think I sold myself short to the tune of approx. £5 per hour on the current job I'm working on.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

How did it happen?

1 person likes this

@WorDazza (16055)

• Manchester, England

23 Feb

@TheHorse I've never freelanced before so I wasn't sure what the going rate should be. Having said that I'm not complaining. I'm still on more per hour than I was when I was a permanent employee of a company.

much2say - SmilePie

@much2say (47063)

• Los Angeles, California

22 Feb

I have sold myself short many times when I was doing graphic design

, especially in my younger days of freelancing. It got me the job, but well, it certainly took more time and effort than I thought it would

.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I charge "too little" for the speakers I restore. But I enjoy it a a lot and want these speakers back out there in people's living rooms.

1 person likes this

much2say - SmilePie

@much2say (47063)

• Los Angeles, California

23 Feb

@TheHorse I think it's a passion of yours and you genuinely take pride in getting these vintage speakers into the best conditions they can be in. When you enjoy, it's all worth it no matter what the price.

@xander6464 (19033)

• Wapello, Iowa

22 Feb

I had to take a Vow Of Poverty to get this stupid job so I guess you could say I do sell myself for free.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

I took a vow of poverty as soon as I realized that I was more interested in helping folks than making a fortune.

1 person likes this

@xander6464 (19033)

• Wapello, Iowa

22 Feb

@TheHorse I've always wondered why those two things (Helping people and making money) were mutually exclusive. It feels like a flaw or a lack of planning on someone's part or something.

Uncle Jay, Word Archaeotect (AnaIyzing Old Words)

@mythociate (17808)

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

23 Feb

I thought "short-selling" was a trick they use on Wall Street to make money off of stocks that fall in value

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortselling.asp

www.investopedia.com

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortselling.asp

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

It is. My hunch that's where the expression came from.

1 person likes this

@almostoveryou (2731)

• Philippines

23 Feb

That's so kind of you. I may have done the same thing before when I was still doing corporate work.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

My friend's business is tiny right now, but I want to help her succeed.

1 person likes this

@vandana7 (79864)

• India

23 Feb

I did that long ago. I no longer do it.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I'm glad you got past that.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (37145)

• Marion, Ohio

23 Feb

You are doing a very nice thing to help her. Hopefully she appreciates it.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I hope her business succeeds.

1 person likes this

@lovebuglena (26182)

• Staten Island, New York

22 Feb

I am not sure but I've probably done that in the past.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

23 Feb

I think most of us have at some point or another.

1 person likes this

@myklj999 (54443)

• United States

22 Feb

I can't find a buyer for me short or tall or bald or whatever so it's hard to sell myself at all really. But I usually strove to give people more than what I promised.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (124905)

• Walnut Creek, California

22 Feb

I do the same, especially in my speaker refinishing "business."

1 person likes this