How to overcome the “I wish” mentality
Last month, I read and passed on an article from ProBlogger about being stuck in the “I want to be a professional” stage. It was written for those who blog, but the message speaks to anyone who wants to do anything professionally.
It’s written for those who want to be a full-time, professional photographer. It is for you who want to own your own photography business. It’s a message for those who want more free time, clients, staff. It’s for the ones who want a business or style like ______ (fill in the blank).
Taking a few cues from the article mentioned above, here are 4 steps how to stop wishing and to start doing.
1. Stop wishing.
Most times we base what we wish for on someone or something we’ve seen. We see their success (or apparent success), and we desire to achieve the same thing.
The problem with this is we miss their struggles and failures. We only see the pretty results. Success means hard work, failures and some luck along the way.
These are your choices:
- Keep wishing and fail.
- Stop wishing, work hard and fail.
- Stop wishing, work hard, get a little lucky and succeed.
The truth is our chances of success (in business) isn’t good. Over 2/3’s of businesses fail in their first 10 years, and if you don’t stop wishing, you will definitely fail.
2. Stop overloading on information.
I’m amazed sometimes by the amount of time and money photographers spend on attending classes and seminars – including online training. I know many of these photographers are spending as much or more as they are making in their business on training alone.
When I started The Collective I purchased 2-3 books and started reading several blogs on building a blog. After a month or so, I had to stop. I couldn’t keep learning about blogging. I just had to do it.
It’s time to stop learning and start doing.
3. Move forward.
A few weeks ago, I heard a sermon about faith. Here was the main point –
faith = movement
You have to DO something to make anything happen. Go ahead and call me captain obvious, but are you moving forward?
Are you implementing new marketing or procedures or workflow to move closer to seeing your dream fulfilled? Are you examining why you haven’t seen success (or why you did in the past)?
Have some faith in your business. Do something. Move forward.
4. Stop limiting yourself.
Sometimes we lose site of what we have accomplished because our dream hasn’t been fulfilled.
When I began The Collective my goal was to build a business that would support itself and me within 1 year. It hasn’t happened.
However, I have learned so much in this process. I’ve learned about my own abilities. I’ve learned what it takes to build and grow a blog/website. I’ve learned information people are looking for. I’ve learned what people don’t want.
Though I haven’t seen exactly what I set out for, I won’t limit myself.
Take some pictures.
A lot has been said about David Jay’s The System. It’s a manifesto/training ebook that gives 10 steps to building a wedding photography business. Yes, he’s trying to make money (who isn’t). Yes, there is some stupid stuff (Spray and pray in particular). But I did find value in it.
What appreciated was the mindset. You just have to get out there and do it. There is no substitute for taking lots of images. You learn from doing.
I agree. Stop wishing. Get out there and take some pictures. Figure out what your doing right and wrong, then do it again.
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[…] Stop wishing. Start taking pictures. by Andy Bondurant […]