Why do we struggle with negotiating?
Better pay. Better terms. Better deals. Better outcomes.
The answer is straightforward:
If you can’t afford to walk away, you can’t negotiate.
That’s it. That’s the whole thing.
And like most of my posts, this is much harder to execute than to think about. So here we are again.
Most people won’t accept that walking away is always an option. They fear the short-term loss more than the long-term cost of staying stuck.
So how do you let go of that fear?
Build leverage.
Leverage is the tool that gives you the upper hand in any engagement. Without it, you’re not negotiating. You’re hoping.
Here’s what leverage looks like in practice:
- Need people to sign up for your newsletter? You need leverage of past shared knowledge.
- Need a new job to give you a better package? You need leverage of strong work history.
- Need people to pay to talk to you? You need leverage of proven wisdom and social proof.
- Need people to understand you better? You need leverage of communication.
- Need clients to stop scope creeping? You need leverage of documentation.
See what happened there?
When you look at negotiations as an exchange of leverages, getting a better deal becomes a piece of a very complex cake.
Want better terms? Figure out what leverage you have. Then maximize it.
“Saqib, I don’t have any of those things. How can I negotiate better then?”
Fair. But everyone has one lever.
Time.
Your time is leverage you already own. You just need to spend it differently.
- Instead of working a contract for cheap, offer free work for a limited time – to be closed at your desired rate.
- Instead of easy-applying to jobs on LinkedIn, invest time in networking with the right people and get your foot in the door.
- Instead of randomly consuming content, seek niche knowledge that compounds into your skillset.
If you don’t have the leverage of knowledge, experience, or reputation; you’re probably young. That’s fine.
Put the time in. There’s nothing wrong with spending more now for longer-term returns.
Your time, with time, becomes your leverage.
At the end of the day, everything is give and take.
In every case, there’s something you can improve. And with time, try again.
Or learn how to walk away.
With or without my help – I wish you the best.
The Wandering Pro is a quiet, steady corner of the internet for people figuring out their next move in tech.
Whether you’re a freelancer, a junior developer, or someone building something for the first time – this is a space for showing up, learning, and making progress at your own pace.
If that sounds like what you need, come be a part of it.
See, at the heart of it – I love solving problems for people using tech, it doesn’t get simpler than that.
I am known for constant experimentation and relentless execution.
Right now – my focus is to help everyday folks of Pakistan understand tech, career, and business better with everything I do.
