So I found myself in a lounge on this trip to Paris, transiting through Dubai.
I love travelling and I’m lucky enough that I’ve done it often enough to have lounge access — and decent lounge access at that. But what I love most about it isn’t the free food or the fancy seats.
It’s that, in places like this, I’m a nobody.
And that’s exactly how I like it.
That day, I was sitting at a table next to none other than Robbie Williams.
Yes — that Robbie Williams. The guy who’s sold millions of records and probably can’t walk through an airport without being asked for a selfie or a serenade.
He’s planted in a corner — I’m guessing to avoid attention. We briefly made eye contact, and I caught that look — the “here we go” look — and he immediately swapped seats with his companion to hide from view.
He didn’t want to be seen, recognised, or worse — approached.
And I get it.
I wasn’t going to bother him anyway.
But I understood it more than I expected to.
After a Melbourne–Dubai haul, the last thing I want is to talk to anyone — and I’m not even famous. Imagine being someone like him, and never being able to truly switch off.
I’m sure he gets it all the time (I have a friend that think he’s the greatest thing on the planet and she jokes that middle aged ladies literally throw themselves at him wherever he goes).
Imagine that…EVERYWHERE you go people want a piece of you. Your time is theirs. You can’t walk down the street, go to the shops, enjoy a quiet drink out. He has no control over this. His clientele is millions of people all over the world. He’s always with his clients.
Yes, it’s a different industry but the principle is still the same. He sells his time.
I’m sure his spare time is valuable and precious to him. Who am I to deprive him of his time and ask for an autograph or a selfie?
Is anybody worthy of depriving someone’s time? Your spare time is just as important to you as well.
Imagine having to jump every time a client saw you out? “Can you do my hair now? You’re not doing anything else”.
Sounds ridiculous… but energetically, that’s what we’re allowing when we don’t set boundaries.
When we over-accommodate, we make ourselves available all the time — even when we’re not.
So here’s what I decided, sitting in that lounge:
I’m not famous.
I don’t have millions of clients.
But the clients I do have?
They won’t own me….not unless I let them.
Key Points:
Learn to say no — you’ll never regret it.
People will value your time if you do.
Set a max number of services you’ll do per week/month/year and price accordingly.
Don’t confuse being helpful with being constantly available.
Your time is precious. Guard it. Price it. Protect it.
Until next time,
Craig
The Solo Stylist
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