How do you know?
A few days ago I was talking to a friend who runs an amazing photography business in Canada. His sales numbers made my head spin. So of course, like any good self-improvement junkie, I said he should be teaching and coaching.
He’s always wanted to, but he’s not famous enough and hasn’t won enough awards. OMG. Does this sounds familiar? Know anyone else stopping themselves from doing their dream because of silly reasons that don’t matter??? (Yes, I’m looking at you. . .)
I convinced him none of that matters by giving him examples of how others got “famous” in our industry. They spent some time just helping people one way or another.
THEN he said that actually was impressed by his numbers too and was going to visit and propel my friend to fame.
OH BOY. And this is why we’re actually having this conversation today. Never in my whole life have I had The Thing I thought would make an instant huge different make a difference at all. I thought for sure that my shoot for this magazine or that would propel me to fame and result in Nicole Kidman calling me to photograph her. Nope. The magazine came out and my life did not change. Photographing “big deal” people never changed my life. Getting a shout out from that famous person, never changed a thing.
You know what has changed my life?? Doing the work. Showing up day after day, and doing the best work I can. Talking to some infinite seemingly “nobodies.” Incremental improvements. Even meeting my husband felt like nothing at the moment. All the things I thought would matter, didn’t. The things that ultimately mattered didn’t feel momentous in the moment that they were happening.
It can be emotionally exhausting. . . to show up and show up and show up, and show up some more. And I’m not even super great at it. I’m good enough at it that I have a business that works great and a beautiful, joyful life. After that it’s fits and spurts for me. But I know that the turtle wins the race every time.
We gotta show up and show up and show up. You can do it! And in a year, you’ll be shocked at how far you’ve come.
Want to do all the things faster?
