I spend a lot of time thinking about work – not just running my consulting business but how work gets done and the ways to make things more efficient and productive.

Inspired by Jay Baer’s post on six takeaways from 23 years of consulting, here are some thoughts from nearly three years of consulting:

1. The pedal is always to the metal: When you eat what you kill, the pursuit of business never stops. While working on projects, the hunt for next project is happening in parallel.

2. There is a constant battle between doing and selling. When I’m doing work, I’m anxious about not selling. And when I’m selling, I’m anxious about not doing work. It’s the reality of being a sole proprietor in which you’re the cook, waiter and chief bottle washer but a constant balancing act.

3. Listen to your gut: You can analyze an opportunity from a variety of different angles but at the end day, my gut usually leads me in the right direction.

4. Don’t take work that isn’t in your wheelhouse. As a consultant, there is a temptation to take on any and everything, even if it’s on the fringe of your skill-set. I learned the hard way that accepting work that isn’t your thing is a recipe for disappointment and failure. It’s the reason that I’m clear with potential clients about what I do (content, communications, social media) and what I don’t (SEO and PR)

5. There is power in referring business to other people who are better suited to do a job that comes your way. We work within an ecosystem/community so the more bonds you can build through referrals, providing advice and introductions and networking, the better. In the long-run, it will generate plenty of dividends.

6. In working with clients, it’s “we” instead of “you”. It’s a healthier relationship you talk about the project “we” are working on, the decisions “we” have to make, etc. because it means you’ve embedded yourself as opposed to simply being a gun for hire. If you really want clients to succeed, you need to be completely on their side.

7. Focus matters: With only so many hours of day – some of which have to be spent on sleeping, eating, family, exercise, etc. – focus is a huge issue and challenge. This is particularly relevant for anyone who is digitally engaged or who make a living in a Web-related way because being connected is part of the game. That said, it is important to focus on the task at hand, which means turning off or ignoring other things such as social media.