A major factor in what you’re paid is what you think you’re worth.

Self-worth sounds like one of those motivational terms, like it’s discussed more to inspire people than to help them run a better business.

But self-worth can be key to improving your finances, especially when you’re a creator.

One reason creatives aren’t making the money they want is because they don’t ask for the rates they need to get there.

And the reason many don’t ask for the money they need is because they don’t believe they’re worth it.

Seeing Self-Value

When I was working on the post about who’s earning the most on Instagram, I read about Bella Hadid and how she reportedly made $11,000 an hour to walk for Australian Fashion Week in 2016.

Maybe that’s the amount she made and maybe it’s not. The point is, that it’s conceivable.

And furthermore, if you were ask her, I’d bet she’d act like she was worth every cent.

But what about you? What about what you do?

If anyone suggested you that you charge or could make $11,000 an hour, you would probably think that’s insane, unthinkable. But why?

Well, for starters, no one told you that your work or the type of work that you do is worth that much.

Most people have an outer scorecard. By that, I mean they set their value based on what outsiders tell them they’re worth.

In the creative world, that’s a setup.

It’s a good way to ensure you never get what you’re entitled to.

Although creative work is often enjoyed, respected and highly sought after, there’s a long-running  trend of people minimizing the value of creators and the process of creating.

When outsiders are allowed to run the scale, and they’re able to convince you that your time and your talent isn’t worth much, it’s game over.

How could your finances get better when you have people convincing you to undermine yourself?

Building Value

It begins with you…

If you want people to see more value in you and your work, if you want to get paid more, then you have to believe you’re worth more.

And once you do, you have to have the confidence to charge more.

You may be hung up on my mention of Bella Hadid. She comes from money. She has a power name, you may say.

That’s true.

But there are two things you need to understand.

First, rich people aren’t the only ones who stand up for what they’re worth.

There are people who will die poor and hungry in a camper before they work for a price that isn’t fair.

They know that what they have to offer is worth something and they refused to get pimped.

Second, money and a celebrity name provides more access to opportunities. But work and  the ability to deliver are what builds a reputation.

There are plenty of celebrity kids, plenty of wealthy people with money and a name. And even though they have advantages, they don’t have a business, brand, or career because they either don’t have talent or they can’t deliver what people are willing to pay for.

It doesn’t matter what your name is. Only a fool, a family member or a sugar daddy are going to continually sink money into someone who doesn’t offer a return.

People like Oprah Winfrey or Stephen King didn’t have a name. They built a name.

And they’re were able to do that and to build the wealth that they have because they recognized and pursued what they believed themselves to be worth.

Calculating Self-Worth

Now, let me be clear: arrogance is not only cheap, but it can also be harmful.

Being arrogant isn’t what I’m talking about here.

I’m talking about placing value on your talent and your work based on factors, such as education, skills, and financial and physical investments.

I’m talking about factoring in things like your understanding of a client’s market, the value of  your network, and the creativity and uniqueness of your ideas.

When calculating your worth, you have to be realistic. Your value must be rooted in something more solid than ego if you expect to see a change in your finances.

You have to know you’re worth it, but you also have to prove it.

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