Double Until Resistance
Raise your quote in large steps until a real buyer finally hesitates
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 92%
Justin entered contract game design without knowing how to price the work. He estimated the hours, multiplied them by his minimum acceptable hourly rate, and submitted a quote. The buyer laughed and accepted, revealing that the number was too low. For the next comparable opportunity, Justin doubled the quote; when that also drew laughter rather than resistance, he doubled again. He continued until a prospective buyer hesitated, using that reaction as evidence that he had reached the level he should charge. The rule treats acceptance and resistance as market feedback rather than relying entirely on an uninformed internal estimate.
Origin
Justin developed the rule while pricing his first contract game-design projects after leaving his job.
Core principles
- 01Immediate acceptance can signal that a quote is too low
- 02Buyer behavior provides pricing evidence
- 03Large price steps find the boundary faster than tiny increases
- 04Resistance identifies a plausible market rate
How to run it
- 1
Set a starting quote
Estimate the required hours and apply the minimum hourly rate you believe the work deserves.
Watch out Recognize that this is only a starting estimate when you lack market knowledge.
- 2
Read the reaction
Submit the quote and observe whether the buyer accepts it without meaningful hesitation.
Pro tip Treat laughter followed by immediate acceptance as evidence, not approval of your pricing skill.
- 3
Double the next quote
For the next comparable opportunity, ask for twice the previous amount.
Watch out Keep the opportunities comparable enough for the reaction to be informative.
- 4
Stop at resistance
Repeat the increase until a buyer expresses uncertainty, then use that point as the rate to charge.
Watch out Resistance is a pricing signal, not necessarily a reason to retreat immediately.
In the wild
Justin calculated a first quote from estimated hours and his minimum hourly rate. The buyer laughed and accepted. He doubled the next quote, received the same reaction, and kept doubling until someone finally hesitated.
→ The first real resistance revealed the level he believed he should charge.
Common mistakes
Anchoring to your minimum
A minimum acceptable rate says nothing about what the buyer is willing to pay.
Ignoring effortless acceptance
Immediate acceptance can be evidence of underpricing rather than a fully successful quote.
Is it for you?
Best for
A capable freelancer or consultant with comparable incoming opportunities but little pricing history.
Not ideal for
Standardized commodity offers with transparent fixed market prices or quotes that are not comparable.
From the transcript
“I doubled my number. They still laughed at me.”
“My strategy was I kept doubling what I asked for until I met resistance.”
“Until someone was like, "Hmm, I'm not sure." I'm like, "Okay, that's what I need to be charging."”
From the episode
#687: Justin Gary — Taking the Path Less Traveled, The Phenomenon of “Magic: The Gathering,” How Analytical People Can Become “Creative” People, Finding the Third Right Answer, and How to Escape Your Need for Control
Justin Gary