We’re making real headway in our efforts to take back control of our stressful, overworked lives. Our past couple Points have pointed the way for many of you. I am amazed and encouraged by the number of emails we’re getting from our Point subscribers on the topic of overtaxed lives.

Many of you are committing to saying “no” more often so you don’t get overwhelmed in the first place. This little word is perhaps the best tool you have to gain control of your life. It’s a fact: “No” is a complete sentence. Others of you are using our ideas for creating margin in your lives. With margin, you’ll have more time to do the things that really need to get done. Also, you’ll have more options when it comes to handling life’s challenges. (If you’d like to review our previous Points, go to www.corsini.com and click on “E-Newsletters” to access our archives.)

As I was thinking about writing this POTW and what I wanted to say, I had a conversation with one of my best friends (who also happens to be the president and owner of a successful business and a client of ours). As we talked, I could tell that he was frustrated and troubled about something. When I asked him what was up, he described an incident that had happened just the day before with a customer.

One of his clients had asked him for some special pricing on an item they sell. (I’m being vague here on purpose to honor the confidentiality with my client.) My client, in a good faith effort to help out his customer, had indeed made some pricing concessions. Then, when my client delivered the equipment his customer had bargained for, the customer sent it back.

Since the customer had not yet paid for these items (nor for previously delivered equipment), my client had to take it back. He had no choice. But the client had leverage with payment. Now I understood why my friend was irritated.

My advice to him was simple: “Fire 'em. Let that client go away.”

I first wrote about this unusual way of dealing with difficult clients a few years ago. Now when I say “difficult” I’m talking about those clients who are excessively demanding; quarrelsome; slow to pay; or, even, non-paying. When I first broached this idea, I got a backlash from people who said, “Remember, Marc, the client is always right.”

Well that’s true—but only to a certain extent.

When you’ve done everything you can to please your client and it’s still not enough, when a client takes advantage of you time and again, when you absolutely dread dealing with a client, you need to decide whether or not that client is worth your efforts—and your frustration.

Does the negative energy of the relationship outstrip the benefits of keeping a bad client? Would your company suffer horribly if you replaced that difficult client with a less demanding one? Don’t you think your efforts to please would be better spent with a client who respects you and your relationship?

One of our core philosophies here at CCG involves living a life of abundance. I promise you, there are opportunities everywhere. If you have a client that is draining you of your energy and making your life miserable after you’ve done everything within reason to satisfy the client, then take one more action. Fire ‘em. Let them go make your competition’s life miserable. Then put your valuable time and energy to work elsewhere with a different client. Chances are, you’ll have time and energy leftover. Enjoy this. We believe life is too short, and just too precious, to be wasted on people who empty us.