I just spent hours trying to fix a problem that I wasn’t remotely qualified to handle.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t fix it.
What I did do was waste most of my day, stress myself out, and push my actual work to the back burner.
And all because I wanted to save a few bucks.
When Self-Reliance Becomes Self-Sabotage
Life will throw a lot of problems your way.
Some of them are in your zone of genius. Others are in your zone of “I watched a YouTube video once.”
Personally, I like figuring things out. I like understanding how the machine works; having ownership over my systems and processes.
I also like saving money.
But I’ve come to realize (….or maybe I haven’t, because I keep finding myself in these situations) that when I try to do everything myself, I end up paying more for it in different ways.
Last week, it was a plumbing issue I spent several days trying to troubleshoot before I finally called in the pros.
Today, it was a tax complication that popped up because I hadn’t consulted an accountant earlier in the process.
In both cases, I wasted a lot of time and narrowly avoided a catastrophe.
Now, if we were talking about a website design problem – bring it on. I’ve got the skills. I speak the language. I know what works. It makes sense that I manage my own websites and offer it as a paid service to others. The same way accountants offer their skills. Or plumbers. Or musicians. Or architects.
Every business exists to solve problems that someone else doesn’t have the time, skills, or desire to solve themselves.
So why do we hesitate to hire people to help us?
The Real Cost of “Saving Money”
I get it. Hiring a pro can be expensive. But what’s the cost of not hiring them?
Let’s say you have a choice between paying an expert $1,500 to fix a problem, or trying to handle it yourself. The expert is pretty confident they can finish the job by the end of the day.
You, on the other hand, will realistically spend several weeks learning, troubleshooting, and growing anxious that you’re doing it all wrong. Even if you value your time at just $50/hour, that’s $3,000. Not including the opportunity cost of what you could’ve been doing with that time—like serving clients, growing your business, or taking a nap.
You didn’t save $1,500.
You paid double—with time, stress, and distraction.
The truth is, trying to DIY everything is the fastest way to slow your business down.
Yes, when you’re just starting and cash is tight, it makes sense to pinch pennies and learn new skills. And if you enjoy learning something new? Great. Go for it.
But if you can afford to outsource something that’s outside your wheelhouse—or barter your skill for someone else’s—do it. Not just to save time (and ultimately save money), but to invest in the kind of economy we all want to be a part of: small businesses supporting small businesses.
I wasted a lot of time this week doing something someone else could’ve done with their eyes closed.
I’m not proud of that. But I am reminded: We don’t grow a business by doing everything ourselves. We grow a business by doing what we do best—and firing ourselves from the rest.
Is there something on your plate that you’re not equipped to handle? Maybe it’s time to stop paying yourself in stress—and start paying a pro instead.
