There was a time when I said yes to everything.
Every client, every project, every opportunity that came with a decent brief and a decent budget.
Because that’s what we’re taught early on — take everything that comes your way.
More work means more money, more clients, more visibility, more “growth.”
But here’s the thing: growth without alignment is chaos in disguise.
Money Used to Motivate. Now Meaning Does.
At some point, the cheques started clearing — but the conversations stopped feeling right.
Deadlines were met, but satisfaction wasn’t.
The work looked great on a slide, but not in my gut.
That’s when I realised — I’m not chasing projects anymore. I’m chasing peace.
Peace that comes from knowing the people you’re working with care as much as you do.
Peace from not having to justify ethics, values, or decency.
Peace from ending a day knowing you didn’t just deliver work — you delivered something right.
I Choose People, Not Logos.
I don’t see clients as “big” or “small.”
I see them as aligned or misaligned.
I look for energy — not in the product, but in the people.
Do they have that fire in the belly?
Are they disciplined?
Do they respect time — theirs and others’?
Do they keep their word when no one’s watching?
Because if the wavelength doesn’t match, no amount of money can make the work feel right.
And if it does — the money somehow always follows.
Mutual Selection, Not Subordination.
Clients often think they’re the ones choosing agencies or consultants.
But the truth is — it’s a two-way interview.
They’re evaluating deliverables.
I’m evaluating dynamics.
I don’t say yes just because someone says, “We’d love to work with you.”
I ask myself, “Would I love to work with them?”
The best relationships I’ve had — professionally and personally — were built on mutual respect, not power imbalance.
It’s Not Ego. It’s Evolution.
This shift doesn’t come from arrogance.
It comes from experience.
You stop counting hours and start counting harmony.
You realise the real cost of misalignment isn’t lost revenue — it’s lost peace, lost weekends, and lost joy in your craft.
So now, I work with people who bring clarity, not chaos.
Who believe in partnership, not permission.
Who value ethics over urgency.
Because in the long run, alignment compounds better than ambition.
A Note to My Fellow Consultants (and Anyone Choosing Their Next Role)
This isn’t just a consultant’s problem.
Even if you’re applying for a job, taking a freelance gig, or saying yes to a collaboration — the principle is the same.
You’re not just being chosen. You’re choosing too.
The best work you’ll ever do is the one that feels like a shared purpose — not a paid service.
My Take
I no longer chase opportunities.
I attract the ones that align.
And every time I say “no” to the wrong fit,
I make room for the right one.
Because good work isn’t about who signs the contract.
It’s about who shares the conviction.
No pitch. No prediction. Just perspective — from someone who’s built both sides of the table.