Question: Lindsay, I understand the concept of the $300K Expert Identity, but I'm struggling with something. How do I know the difference between an identity issue and a legitimate skill gap? Sometimes I wonder if I'm undercharging because I don't believe in myself enough... but other times I wonder if I'm simply not experienced enough yet to charge more or take on larger projects.

Answer: This is such a good question because almost every designer asks themselves this at some point.

And the first thing I want you to know is that it's rarely one or the other.

Most of the time, there are skills to develop. That's true at every level of business. Even designers running million-dollar firms are still learning, refining, and improving.

But here's what I notice:

Designers tend to use "I need more experience" as a reason to delay stepping into opportunities they're already capable of handling.

Think about it this way.

If a project came across your desk tomorrow that was 10% bigger than anything you've done before, would you be completely incapable of delivering it?

Probably not.

You'd figure it out.

You'd ask questions.

You'd lean on trades.

You'd research.

You'd solve problems.

You'd do what every successful designer before you has done.

The issue isn't usually capability.

It's certainty.

You're waiting to feel 100% certain before you act.

And unfortunately, entrepreneurship doesn't work that way.

Confidence is not a prerequisite for growth.

Growth is what creates confidence.

When I look at designers inside IDPL, the ones who grow the fastest are not necessarily the most experienced.

They're the ones willing to trust themselves before they have all the evidence.

They're willing to say:

"I've never done a project exactly this size before, but I trust my ability to lead it."

"I've never charged this fee before, but I know the value I'm creating."

"I've never held this level of responsibility before, but I'm willing to grow into it."

That's the difference.

A skill gap says:

"I don't know how to do this yet."

An identity gap says:

"I don't trust myself to figure it out."

And those are very different problems.

Because skills can be learned surprisingly quickly.

But if you don't trust yourself, you'll continue finding reasons to stay where you are—even after you've developed the skill.

So whenever you're wondering whether it's a skill issue or an identity issue, ask yourself:

"If I knew with absolute certainty that I could figure this out, would I still be saying no to this opportunity?"

If the answer is no...

You're probably looking at an identity edge.

And that's often where the biggest growth happens.