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Do you have BIG DREAMS but no idea where to start?

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 Posted inARTISTIC INSPIRATION,CHATTY TUESDAYS

Hey you,

If you have ever found yourself struggling with passionate dreams that you desperately want to bring to reality but simply don’t know how or where to start – this Chatty Tuesday video is especially for you.

I think from time to time we all need a bit of encouragement, and I’m hoping that today you can find that much needed encouragement in this video:

Don’t forget in the comment section below I really want to know what YOUR biggest excuse is. What is holding you back from achieving your dreams? Tell me all about it!

Big hugs

xoxo

Posted inARTISTIC INSPIRATION,CHATTY TUESDAYS

  • http://www.nataliamedlarska.blogspot.com Natalia

    Great video! It’as all truth, it all makes sense. It’s just a pity we forget these things so easily and give up. One should write it down and read like a prayer every day :) Thanks!

  • http://melaniehelena.com Melanie

    Thank you sooo much for today’s video! My biggest fear is my lack of confidence AFTER a shoot. I find myself taking waaaay too long to edit the clients pictures because I want the final product to be absolutley perfect in every single way. I worry too much about my composition not being good enough or my lighting being off or which way to edit and sometimes I go with the safe route when editing instead of keeping true to my style or how I really envisioned the final product. Not necessarily a bad thing but I always forget that my vision and style is why the client picked me in the first place! Thank you for your videos and positive reinforcement! Keep ‘em coming!

  • http://www.millycolley.com/ Milly Colley

    Very wise words Alex.
    My number one reason for not starting things or doing things is that I’m scared I’m going to fail. But once you realise that everyone makes mistakes, mistakes are fine as long as you learn from them and that mistakes don’t mean failure then it gives me the confidence to continue. It would be worse to look back at a life full of regrets wishing you had done this and that than to never try anything new at all :)

  • Christi

    Really good video with good reminders. I should bookmark this one for all the times I get discouraged in my business. I’m a photographer with kids and a busy schedule outside of photography. I have always dreamt of being a photographer but, like you, never took a class so I’ve taught myself everything. I so want to have awesome marketing tools and feel more confident with knowing the ins and outs of my camera but that all seems to take money, which is hard to come by (At least the “extra” kind!) so that’s my big excuse. And I feel guilty if I take too much time away from my family and my duties as a Tay at home mom. So I guess I have 2 excuses! Thanks for your encouragement.

  • http://lifeinmodification.blogspot.com/ Camille

    Great inspiration, Alex! Thank you.

    I have been in a rut recently, so this is wonderful.

    My biggest excuse is really just myself. I am afraid of failing. I just need to do, do do though. Who cares if I fail at something? It could bring me to what I really need and should be doing!

    Cheers :).

  • http://www.belleandbeaublog.com Holly

    Haha! I love the tip about looking back at someones first blog posts! :)

  • http://simplicityportrait.blogspot.com alexandra

    Thanks for the great post! Love the way you sped the time up on your voice– awesome :-b

  • http://www.yellowmellearts.com melissa

    This video was timely! Yesterday was pretty bad for this reason! I’ve been way down because I haven’t sold anything for two months (save for a friend, which was nice).

    It only bothers me now because I’m at this frame of mind that if I continue at my extremely degrading bottom-rung job, it’s not going to end well for me. I’m sooo ready to move on. I’ve been especially dreamy because I spend a lot of time online talking with people who are already at the point where they can live off of their business alone. I want it soo much.

    But they don’t sell art, so there’s only so much that I can take from these conversations. Art is a hard sell. The only reason why I’m so stressed about it, is because now I’m paying money to the city, I’m paying money to the government, I’m paying money to Etsy, and fees just keep adding up and up…

    I’m EXCITED about having a big goal! As someone who has no concept of “future” that’s a big deal to me! I am also an excuse master. I guess my biggest obstacle is “But I don’t know what to do next”.

    And it’s true, I have no idea. I feel awful about riding out the uncertainty because the longer this takes, the longer I have to slowly die at my job.

    I simply CAN’T give up. I’ve done insane (to me) things just to get to this (low) point. If I quit now, I’d just forever be that bottom-rung worthless worker. I want to be MORE! I would rather fail at art for the rest of my life than continue being that person who did everything she was told to do and ended up as a grub.

    *disclaimer: I don’t mean to say that bottom-rung workers are worthless, that’s just what my employers think of me personally.

  • Cayla

    Thank you! I really needed this today! :)

  • Samantha

    I needed this !!! Thank you :). My biggest excuse has been I’m not good enough or my competition is better. Or I have been told recently if I don’t charge above a certain amount then I’m cheap work. Everyone does start from square one. I no longer need to make excuses for myself. I love what I do and I will get there it just takes time. Thank you again for inspiring me !!

  • Natty

    OMG I need to watch this video every single day! I’m the queen of excuses and insecurities, haha.

  • Linnea

    Your videos always give me reminders! thank you.

    My biggest excuse is that I’m not good enough.
    BUT I can’t get better if I don’t try, right? Catch 22…

    I won’t give up yet!

  • Ariel

    I constantly tell myself that I don’t know how to start or that I’m not good enough. I know they’re lame excuses, because I have the internet and people to help me gain the knowledge to start. I don’t have any proof that I’m not good, because I’ve only taken 2 photo shoots! I may not be perfect or even the greatest photographer, but obviously I’m doing something right if a 7 year old, who has always hated her pictures taken, liked my photos of her in her homemade princess dress! The same goes for my very picky sister, who has asked me to take a family portrait for her and her 4 kids.

    Recently, I’ve taken a trip with a group of co-workers for a Resident Assistant training program. We went to a camp that had a high ropes course. This exercise was scary. We were suspended by ropes in trees so of course it was scary, but I faced that fear and I concurred all of the courses they had. Even the zip-line! That entire experience made me realize that those excuses are just my fear. My fear is keeping me from taking that one leap. Just like the zip-line, I have to coax myself and rid myself of my fear so I can jump.

    Thank you Alex for this video! Do you have any advice for a college student who is on a tight budget? I would LOVE to start my own website/blog, but I’m not sure which site I should go with (Blogspot, Blogger, WordPress etc.). Which one do you recommend?

  • http://www.kathleenfrankphotography.com/ kathleen frank

    how much do i love your chatty tuesdays!!! i always pull that trick of going back to my fav photographers’ first blog post. such a dose of perspective! and from now on… i will be telling myself that i am one mac daddy photographer on every shoot. love that tip!

  • http://www.kathleenfrankphotography.com/ kathleen frank

    and my biggest excuse? i claim the not-enough-time excuse way too often. i’m also a big fan of the self-deprecating one of not being special/good/magical enough to get there. ugh. now that i said them out loud, i have to be accountable for them! :)

  • JESSICA

    I’m actually glad to see that there are so many others who have the same fears and worries that I have. I wish that none of us had to feel this way, but at the same time, it’s a little comforting! My biggest excuse~ I don’t know a good place to shoot at, how can I get business without proving what I can do first?, I feel inadequate! My fix: 1. Shut up & go find a place! 2. I’m offering free sessions to a few of my friends just to build my portfolio 3.I have to force myself to believe that I AM great (even if it means pretending!).

  • http://www.facebook.com/rosesandlaceblog Marcy Lamont

    Watched this on Tuesday but haven’t had time to comment. There I go… my biggest excuse (my worst fear) is I won’t have as much time as someone who blogs full time, I have a day job to pay the bills. But the answer is quality over quantity and I’ve watched the Chatty Tuesday video about procrastinating so I’m going to using my google calendar religiously and stop nipping over to facebook until the alloted time. Thanks Alex, love how you help everyone not just photographers! xxx

  • Annchele Davis

    great inspiration..I love it..My excuse has been..”I gained too much weight and people wont respect me”..honestly im beautiful..and i know it.and I AM respected..I just need to drop 30 more pounds..(thats what I tell myself)..so then my focus goes back to my weight..and I procrastinate again..honestly..I needed this.and one of my friends who I respect greatly..sent this to me..and she IS successful..I appreciate it..your words are priceless..:)

  • http://www.bethcomer.com Beth Comer

    Alex,
    I don’t really know where to start.

    I know, beyond a shadow of a stinkin’ doubt, God lead me here this very minute to save my photography career.

    I am 34 years old. I have been a stay-at-home mom for 13 years. My youngest is finally in kindergarten, and I have self-taught myself everything I know about photography. I honestly thought that by the time my youngest entered school, I would have some kind of amazing photography business.

    I understand now that, “everyone starts at square one.”

    My husband has talked me down from my proverbial ledge so many times, (including just 10 minutes ago in our kitchen) it’s embarrassing. But, for some reason, hearing you say these things just…hit home. I suppose it’s because you’ve, obviously, been there/done that.

    Thank you a million times over.

    God bless you!
    Beth

  • http://www.fotofroggy.com Jenna Mulvey

    Thank you so much for this video Alex!

    I know I have used quite a few excuses. But I think my top 2 are not being as good as my competition and not having enough money. I still have to work a full-time day job to support myself, which leaves less time for photography, which means less time to build a portfolio and clientele. So I start feeling like I’ll never be able to leave my current job and pursue my photography business full time. And then I see my competition and think they are so much better than I am, I have no business charging as much as they do, so I will never have enough money! It’s a vicious cycle! But I am going to take your advice Alex and just force myself to pretend that I am the best there is and I’m worthy more than every penny! And also remind myself that everyone started at square one. I’ll just keep working hard towards the goal of a full-time business. Thank you so much for your wise words! And I’m really happy to see everyone’s comments here prove that none of us are alone in our insecurities.
    -JSM

  • Pingback: 3 minute inspirational video to treat your business as an artform. | Alex Beadon Photography

  • http://www.photosbyanahy.com Anahy Escalera

    Hi Alex!
    We really enjoyed this video. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome with us. My number one excuse a the moment is that I don’t have time. This is because I have a 6 month old baby girl. I know that she will grow up very fast and become independent before I know it so at this time, my business can wait. I will not set her on fire no matter what you say! :-p
    She enjoyed the chipmunk voice, hehe.

  • http://www.studio408photo.wordpress.com Nicole

    Thank you for this video! I recently just quit my full-time job to pursue photography. I have been challenging myself for the last few weeks by facing my fears of letting people see the real me. I have been so afraid of rejection that I haven’t put myself out there. So everyday I make an effort to do one thing that goes against this thought process that I’ve had for so long. Whether its a simple email to a photographer that I am interested in shadowing or starting a blog; I won’t give up.

    I am so glad that I came across your blog and can’t wait to learn more :)

  • http://indieinthecaribbean.blogspot.com Ross

    My biggest excuse (and thank God you actually mentioned it) is that im self-teaching myself everything i know, and sometimes i feel so insecure because i feel like you HAVE to have a college diploma to have credibility or something, but thank you for showing us that teaching yourself have great results, and i googled for self-taught succesful people and wow we’d be surprised :D