Matthew Hussey argues that creators feel guilty charging for their work, but this mindset kills sustainable income. He points to Sam Harris appearing uncomfortable selling a product as an example of how entitlement culture expects free content. When creators stop hedging and charge confidently, everyone benefits.
Matthew Hussey here with Love Life. I was recently listening to a podcast by someone that I really respect and admire, Sam Harris. He's a neuroscientist, I should start by saying, but also someone who has some very strong views on various things that are going on politically in the world, religion, philosophy, an interesting thinker, even if you don't agree with what he has to say. and I was recently listening to his podcast, and I think he does a tremendous job of it, and it's always incredibly informative. And on one of the podcasts I was listening to about halfway through, I found him beginning to sell a product of some kind. Now, he proceeded to do something that I have seen quite a lot of in my life watching People try and grow a business, watching people sell something they have. He began to almost show less certainty than he shows when he's talking about his subject so articulately and so eloquently and with such certainty. It was almost like some doubt crept in. And it crept in because it felt on some level, he wasn't quite comfortable selling what he had to offer. He went on to describe the culture that we live in now where everyone expects things for free. We expect podcasts for free. We expect radio shows for free. This show is free, obviously. We expect YouTube videos for free. We expect to be able to go on YouTube and find almost any idea or concept we want for free. We expect to stream music for free. We have gotten into this kind of entitlement society where we expect things to be free. And he goes on to explain this in quite a lengthy fashion and how him and others like him are struggling to sell what they have, which once was a more valuable commodity or at least people attached a certain value to in price terms, but now get frustrated and annoyed when they come to sell it. And I was thinking about this and I found myself halfway through what he was saying, thinking, Sam, I and many others love what you do. Just sell it to us. Just tell me what it is and pitch it to me. Just make me buy it. I don't need an apology. to the sale. Just sell it to me. Don't worry about the people out there who will get angry because of you pitching or selling what you have. Don't worry about those people. Those may not be your audience or at least they're not your buyers. So don't worry about hedging. Don't worry about offending those people. When someone is supporting themselves doing what they love, everybody wins. If you support yourself, if you build a lifestyle doing something that you love and is giving a benefit to other people, everybody wins. Don't be lured in to the entitlement culture that we have now, where you think that you should be embarrassed or guilty for selling what you have, even if everyone else is giving it for free. Sometimes it's about having the confidence to know that you do it better. you know, if you have something that's worth it, if you have something that is valuable, if you have something that fills a need, sell it. Don't hedge, don't worry about it, don't apologize for making a sale. We have bred a new generation of very entitled people who get many of whom who get very annoyed the moment anyone attempts to ask for money for something. I mean, I love these are my favorites. You know, in the, the really fancy coffee shops where you go in there and they serve the really good lattes and they have a really nice space that they've clearly spent a lot of money on, and they're hiring Prime retail space that is costing them a fortune in rent. And then there's the people that when they find out, they have to buy a coffee every one and a half hours. to get a new Wi-Fi code so that they can sit there and work, get annoyed about it. I have to buy another coffee to get another Wi-Fi code. Are you kidding me? And you think this isn't your office? Whoever owns that premises, I don't blame them for saying, you want to stay here? You want a Wi-Fi code? Buy a coffee every hour. I understand that mindset. And what we have to do is say, yes, there are great parts of this. this free culture that are gonna be good for us, that open up information for everyone and certainly for people who can't afford it. But we also have to not let that bleed into our own lives where we say, well, now I'm gonna be embarrassed to promote what I have. Because if you ever want to have a hope of making money, doing something you love, doing something you enjoy, at some stage, you had better get comfortable asking for money for it. Otherwise, it will never work. It will always just be a hobby. It will always just be a passion project on the side. And I see this all the time. And it's a sad thing, because if you do something well, you should be proud to ask for money for it. And certainly not ashamed and guilty. Thank you, guys. Thank you for listening. And if you want to come and see me on Facebook, go to facebook.com/stevejames / Coach Matthew Hussey. Come continue the conversation there and I'll make sure you have the latest videos, articles and everything else from my world to keep you up to date and help you make that daily progress. I'll see you soon.
