About a month ago I was having a conversation with my friend Caroline, who is an incredible singer. She was sharing several recordings and videos with me and I was LOVING IT. I was encouraging her and giving her tips to get more exposure and really grow as an artist if she wanted to do something with it, and she said those dreadful words "I want to do it, but the market is over saturated so there isn't much point".
So this is my letter to sweet Caroline and anyone else who feels that way- with a few pretty pictures in the mix to break things up. (P.S. All pictures available for purchase here- use discount code ISEE2020)
To The Person Who Has Big Dreams, But Isn't Chasing Them,
I know who you are, I once was that girl too. I had those same thoughts that you do. There are SO MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS OUT THERE. SERIOUSLY SOOO MANY. So why should I really try so hard? I was fine with getting some work here and there -just enough to satisfy my craving for it, and not really pushing to make it something bigger.
I was thinking, "well there are already 10 photographers in my town and surrounding who are either better, have been doing this longer, or were getting more work than I was, So why bother? No one was going to work with me, over the 10 of them".
Well with that attitude I was certainly right!
Since 2009 I was feeding myself excuses:
-I really need to clean the house/my room/my dorm room
-I need more sleep
-The Market is Over Saturated
-I am too Busy
-I can't do this AND school/work/gym/insert random excuse here
-I am not good enough
-I am too scared to put myself out there and fail
-It is way too much work to grow to the level I need
I guilt tripped myself. I was constantly telling family/friends that I didn't have time to go to their baby showers, clean the house, go visit someone in another state, or whatever the excuse was because I was just too busy. So HOW ON EARTH could I chase my real dream as a photographer as well when I didn't even have time to do those basic living human tasks?
Thirteen beautiful months ago I put all of those negative thoughts to rest, and I am here today to tell you that you can too!
I decided that I needed my dream. This is the thing that makes me happier than anything in the world, and I need that. It was time to embrace it and figure out how to make it work for me no matter how busy I was. So I quit doing a half job, and started putting my everything into it.
I changed my mentality from- I don't have time for this, I am not good enough, the market is over saturated to:
I will make time for this above all else, I AM GOOD ENOUGH, and SO WHAT IF THE MARKET IS "OVER SATURATED".
And because of this, in 13 beautiful short months my business has TRIPLED.
Kick those negative thoughts out of your head because the only way you are going to achieve your dreams is if you decide you cannot possibly live life without it!
Maybe there are 1000s of singers, 100s of personal trainers, 50 hair stylists in your town, scientists with way better credentials than you, or someone with better equipment...
None of this matters because there is NO YOU!
What you have to bring to the table is completely unique from everyone else and regardless of how many other dreamers there are out there, there is still a place for you in that market and there are still 6 billion + people to share that service with. Your style, your tone, your precision, your skill... it is different from what everyone else is offering and the world needs that from you!
Do not be discouraged. Believe in Yourself!
If we all decided to not chase our dreams because someone else is already doing it, no one would be doing anything.
Maybe the market is not over saturated.. maybe its just really hard, maybe it costs a lot of money, maybe there are big sacrifices.
I have news for you..
NOTHING worth having comes easy.
It is a lot of hard work. Chasing your dreams requires a lot of sacrifices. You have to do the fun parts and not so fun parts.
If I could just take pictures, and edit pictures that would be great, that would be so magical! But no, I have to email clients and potential clients ALL THE TIME. I have to fill out contracts, I have to pay taxes, I have to post pictures and make sure people stay active on social media, I have to market.. I have to stay up until midnight to meet deadlines, and sacrifice hanging out with my friends sometimes but these are the things it takes to grow and reach your dreams.
Your dreams are attainable too. You just have to leave your doubt behind and jump in head first!
Today I encourage you to change your mindset:
If you have been saying I don't have time for this, now say I WILL MAKE TIME FOR THIS.
If you have been saying too much time has passed for me to achieve this, please say DREAMS HAVE NO EXPIRATION DATE.
If you have been saying the market is over saturated, now say Who Cares? I have something unique to offer!
If you have been saying I don't know where to start, just jump.. do it.. there is no day like today.
So to Caroline, and everyone else out there.. I believe in you so much. Go dream your big dreams and chase them too! Don't play it safe, work really hard for it, and then wake up the next day and work harder again. Do this daily, and watch as all your dreams come true. I promise you it is worth it.
Leave a comment or send me an email and let me know what your dreams are, I would love to hear about it!
DREAMS HAVE NO EXPIRATION DATE
