Win some, lose some

I had a client decide to stop working with me recently.  I think I'm probably better off for it, as they were difficult to work with anyway.  Their instructions were unclear, partly because they seemed not to understand the rules of grammar and punctuation, and partly because they didn't seem to know how to word complete and clear instructions.  I was still annoyed, probably because I had tried my best and spent a lot of time trying to decipher said unclear instructions, but I know it's for the best.  Some clients just aren't worth the trouble, not for a million bucks and certainly not for anything less.

The same day, though, I got a new client that made up for the lost client tenfold.

The new client is higher paying than the lost client, which is fabulous.  They will be a repeat client, which is even better.  And rather than being difficult to work with, they write clear, concise instructions and are as flexible with deadlines as the other client was rigid.

And if I hadn't just lost the other client, I might not have been looking in the right place at the right time to find this one.

It's a good reminder that you win some, and you lose some -- but also a reminder that if you forget to take out the trash, there's no room for better things.  If you want better clients, you have to get rid of the ones that are wasting your time -- time you could be making available to clients who are worth your while.

What trash have you taken out lately?  What trash could you take out?