The most important work you do is not what you get paid for; it’s who you are.

When you improve a client’s CTR by 9%, that makes them happy. Listening to their situation and realizing that their team is on the brink of burnout and they desperately need new business makes them feel heard and gives you the chance to make an even bigger impact.

Set up someone’s CRM to deliver ready-to-call leads directly to their sales team, and they will send you a nice thank-you note. But introduce them to your network when they lose that job, and they’ll remember you forever.

I’ve been to funerals and hospitals with clients, listened to stories about wayward children, lost relationships, family drama, and misguided purchases. None of this was part of my “statement of work.”

Our “work” is what we sell. But you can buy that anywhere.

To make a difference, we need to offer more than our best work. Sometimes we need to offer our humanity too. It’s not “billable” work, and it’s not profitable, it can’t be optimized; it can only be offered and appreciated.

Do you remember a time when someone extended themselves for you beyond what was profitable? Someone who took a risk by offering their humanity?

Would you buy from them again?