The secret to working less & earning more
Readtime: 4 minutes
You don’t just want a “good” job.
You want to be paid what you’re worth, valued for what you bring, and free to work in a way that gives you a life you actually want.
The trouble?
Most people think they have to sacrifice one of those three things to get the others.
“If I want to be paid more, I’ll have to give up flexibility.”
“If I want more freedom, I’ll have to settle for less recognition.”
“If I want to be valued, I’ll have to work harder than is humanly possible.”
I used to think the same.
But here’s the truth: when you take a more deliberate, structured approach, you can have all three.
And much sooner than you think.
Today, I’m giving you the blueprint.
Step 1: Know Your “Value Stack”
Most people can talk vaguely about what they do.
Far fewer can clearly explain the specific value they bring.
Your “Value Stack” is the combination of skills, results, and intangibles that make you worth what you’re worth.
Action:
List your top skills (technical, strategic, and interpersonal).
Add 3–5 examples of concrete results you’ve delivered in the past 12 months.
Identify any rare qualities you bring – for example, calm under pressure, ability to translate complexity into action, or skill at building cross-team trust.
When you can clearly communicate this Value Stack, you’re no longer just “doing your job” – you’re making it obvious why you deserve to be paid and valued more.
Step 2: Upgrade Your Leverage
Leverage is about how hard your work works for you.
If you’re relying solely on one-to-one effort, you’re capping both your income and your freedom.
Ask yourself:
How can my work reach more people, solve bigger problems, or free up more of my time without me being constantly “on”?
Some examples:
Create systems or templates so you don’t reinvent the wheel.
Build visibility with senior decision-makers beyond your immediate boss.
Shift towards work that has a larger financial or strategic impact for your organisation – because that’s where the bigger rewards and recognition live.
Step 3: Negotiate From Strength, Not Need
The most successful negotiations – for pay, promotions, or flexibility – are made when you’re already valuable and in demand.
Instead of going in with “I need this”, go in with:
“Here’s the value I’m already creating – here’s how it can be worth even more to you, if we adjust my role/pay/flexibility.”
This reframes the conversation from a favour they’re doing for you to a smart investment they’re making in you.
Step 4: Design Your Freedom
If you don’t define what “freedom” looks like for you, someone else will.
Do you want:
More time for family?
The ability to choose when and where you work?
A schedule that allows for deep focus and creativity?
Get specific. Then design your work around it.
This might mean restructuring your week, saying no more often, or making yourself Strategically Unavailable for part of the day.
In Summary
Congratulations, you now have the blueprint to finally being paid, valued, and free in your work:
Value Stack: Get clear on the unique value you bring.
Upgrade Your Leverage: Make your work work harder for you.
Negotiate From Strength: Lead with results, not requests.
Design Your Freedom: Decide what you want your work to give you, then align it.
On a Personal Note
When I left my partner role at KPMG, I wanted to build work that gave me more control over my time and more alignment with what mattered most to me.
The biggest shift came when I stopped letting my calendar be filled with other people’s priorities. By getting clear on my own “Value Stack” and deciding how I wanted my weeks to run, I was able to create workdays that left me energised rather than drained.
Now, I focus on the projects that excite me most, work with some wonderful people, and still have space for the things outside of work that matter just as much.
It didn’t happen overnight – but it happened much faster than I expected once I had a clear plan.
One Quote to Get You Going
“You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”
That’s all for today.
See you in a couple of weeks,
Mostyn
📌 P.S. If you’re 15+ years into your career, frustrated or unfulfilled in your current role, and trying to work out what’s next – Atomic Ambition is guaranteed to help you.
All previous participants have described it as ‘life-changing’.
Find out more here.