From $5 to Fulfillment: How I Learned to Value My Work

#46 A Journey from Doubt to Confidence, and the Transition from Quantity to Quality

Jan 05, 2025

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Now jumping into today’s blog:

I still remember the mix of excitement and uncertainty when I read the email: 'Congratulations, you’ve been accepted as a community teacher on Italki.' It marked the beginning of a journey that would change how I valued my work and myself.

Starting Out as a Teacher

After filling my personal information into my profile, I uploaded an introduction video about my teaching style. Since I had little to no experience in teaching languages, I emphasized that I knew the struggles of people learning a foreign language. Being raised between two cultures helped me to understand, that learning a foreign language also includes tradition, culture and the mind set of people.

In the video, I not only highlighted the intercultural part but also the communication part. I promised to help the students by creating a safe space for them to practice speaking.

So far so good …

After the approval if Italki, I faced my biggest challenge:

How much should I charge for a session?

Facing the Challenge of Pricing

At that time, I was 19 years old, therefore my work experience has been limited.

I worked as a post boy, delivering newsletter to homes for 1 € an hour.
I worked in an Asian restaurant for 3 € an hour.
I worked as a waiter in a hotel for 10 € an hour.
I worked at UPS sorting parcels for 11 € an hour.

In the past, I accepted whatever the company offered, but this time was different—I had to decide my own worth. Suddenly. I was the one that had to judge my own work.

In order to find the perfect price tag, I read a lot online. Over and over, I read that I had to value myself and place a higher price.

Take as much as you want.
Take so much, so that you can make a living out of it.
The clients need you, not the other way around.

But was it really true for me? Was I really in a position to ask whatever I want, even though I had no track record?

Learning to Value Myself

After pondering for days, I decided to start with $5 an hour for my 1 on 1 online German class. My goal was to have as many classes as possible and build a reputation.

After every 20 sessions of teaching, I raised my price by 1$, making me feel guilty each time. The more I taught, the more comfortable I got to raise the price to a level, where I truly felt content.

As a person that struggled to see his own self-worth, this slow increase helped me to see my value. It helped me to break my misconception about money and value.

Step by step with each increase, I was able to see my own value in what I did. Slowly, I became more self-confident.

The Transition to Quality Over Quantity

Today, I am fortunate enough to be in a position to ask for the price that I want. I realized that a price is truly negotiable and not fixed to what I believed was the value.

Thanks to my hard work at the beginning building a reputation, I can finally shift from quantity to quality.

Instead of trying to have as many clients as possible, I keep the numbers of clients low but provide them with the best value I can offer. All the energy and time that I had to spread is not bundled and focused on a few individuals.

#mydailylearning

This journey taught me that valuing my work isn't just about numbers; it's about recognizing the unique value I bring to the table. By shifting from quantity to quality, I’ve not only transformed my teaching but also grown into someone who truly believes in his worth.

Thanks for reading to the end and I wish you an awesome day full of kindness and positivity. See you next Sunday morning for a new blog of #sonofavietkieu. 🥰

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Son of a Viet Kieu