Learn to be content with whatever your situation is.  Don’t get too attached to the outcome.  I’ve seen several big billers whose self esteem was based on how much money they made.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Yeah, billing is important.  But it’s just a job.  Don’t let it take over your life when things don’t work out the way you want them to because sometimes they don’t work out and that’s just the way life is. Stay balanced and treasure your personal relationships more than your production.  Don’t get sucked into the trap of measuring your success as a person by your success at your job.  Don’t let external circumstances dictate how you feel on the inside.  Find a source of strength that can carry you through the hard times because believe me, there will be some hard times in this business.

Big mistake.  But it’s a big problem in our business.  And it’s my own big challenge, so I can relate.  Instead of making a decision because of how it may make you look to others, ask yourself this question: “Will this decision bring me closer to or further away from my goals?”  I’ve seen recruiters pay promotional companies tens of thousands of dollars for marketing materials where the only purpose was to gratify an ego need.  It wasn’t based on effectiveness.  I’ve endured presenters giving speeches about themselves and forgetting that the audience is expecting to hear content that will help them get better.  And I’ve also seen myself pathetically lose business because I made decisions based on my ego rather than how it would serve my client or help me financially.  In business, check your ego at the door when you show up for work every day.  The bottom line is this: It doesn’t matter what other people think of you because they probably aren’t even paying any attention to you anyway.  Plus, when you are good, who cares? What does it matter what other people think? When you are the best, it doesn’t matter.  If you are good, you’ll be found out.  People are always attracted to trees that bear fruit so don’t worry about it.  Just focus on setting your goals and targets and making decisions that positively impact your progress.  Now, we all have a need to be recognized. That’s one of Maslow’s five fundamental human needs.  But see if you can get that need met through the service of others and let them recognize you for that.  It doesn’t seem as contrived and is much more fulfilling.  Plus, it’s much better for your marketing.