The Cost of Free: Why Half-Ass Help Will Haunt You Later

Ever offered to help someone for free—and then slacked off because, hey, it’s not like you’re getting paid? Or maybe you’ve been burned by someone who “volunteered” but disappeared when it got real? Here’s the twisted truth: how you work for free tells me everything about how you’ll work when money’s on the table.

Welcome to The Twisted Truth, where I call out the things we don’t say out loud—but should. This week’s topic hits hard because I’ve lived it: the dangerous mindset that free means you don’t have to care.

Working for Free Isn’t Noble—It’s a Test

We glorify the idea of “helping out,” like it’s some noble act that excuses laziness. But let me be clear:
Working for free doesn’t give you permission to be careless.
If you offer your time, services, or skills for a friend’s business, a startup, or a passion project—and you phone it in—you’re not helping. You’re hurting.

The Twisted Truth of the Day:

How you work when you're not being paid is exactly how I believe you'll work when you are.

Read that again.

Free Work = Your Audition

You know what free work really is? It’s an audition. A live interview. A chance to show who you are when the lights aren’t bright, the checks aren’t signed, and no one’s watching. It’s not about “doing someone a favor”—it’s about showing up with integrity.

If your attitude is, “Well, I’m doing this for free, so I don’t really have to put my all into it,” then baby… you're not someone I’ll ever pay. That’s not just a twisted mindset—it’s a reputation killer.

Real Talk: Entrepreneurship Is Hard

When you’re self-funding a dream—whether that’s a podcast, a book, or a business—you’re already stretched. You’re working late nights, juggling bills, investing your own money, and facing constant rejection. It’s not glamorous—it’s grind. So when someone offers to help and then ghosts or under-delivers, it’s more than disappointing—it’s damaging.

People don’t see the $300 a month in software tools. The long nights. The emotional weight. They see the end goal, not the sleepless grind it takes to get there.

That’s why your free work is part of someone’s dream. And that deserves your best.

Don’t Work for Free If You Can’t Commit

If you don’t have the time, energy, or intention to deliver your best—just say no. (Shameless plug: I even wrote a book called The Art of Saying No, look it up!)

Helping someone out doesn’t always mean doing the work yourself. If you can’t commit, send $3 to support their hosting fees. Share their content. Buy them a lighting kit. Do something real or do nothing at all—but don’t show up and do the bare minimum.

Because when you slack on a free project, you’re not just letting them down—you’re burning a bridge.

Your Free Work Is Your Digital Resume

Let’s be honest: every “favor” you do is part of your brand. Free work builds your reputation, your trust credit, and your character score.

And guess what?

If your credit is trash—late responses, broken promises, or half-hearted effort—don’t expect to cash in later.

When I blow up, I’m not hiring the people who ghosted me or gave me “favor energy.” I’m hiring the ones who showed up when it was hard. When it was free. When it was uncertain.

Trust vs. Reliability

A quick lesson I learned from my best friend:
You can trust someone… but that doesn’t mean you can rely on them.
And if I can’t rely on you during the tough parts, why would I invite you into the winning season?

Stop Romanticizing Free Work

Here’s what most people don’t get:

Free isn’t an excuse—it’s a test. And most folks are failing it.

If you really believe in your work, your art, your business, then you already know—every move matters. So stop treating unpaid gigs like they don’t count. They do.

They count to the person grinding every night to make their dream real. They count to the person spending money they don’t have to get their vision out there. And they count to me.

Final Thought: Are You Building a Relationship or Burning a Bridge?

Before you offer help—ask yourself:

Am I building a relationship or burning a bridge?

Because your reputation is your currency, and not everybody’s rich in that department.

💬 Let’s Talk About It:

Have you ever worked for free and felt unappreciated? Or been burned by someone who volunteered and flaked? Share your story in the comments—I want to hear it.

📌 Don’t Forget:

Like, share, and subscribe to The Twisted Truth for more bold conversations that challenge the way we think. Because you don’t build legacy with lip service. You build it with action—even when the invoice is zero.