5 Ways to Overcome Imposter Syndrome, Ditch The Doubt and Grow as a Photographer
Self-doubt and a lack of confidence affects a lot of photographers. Far too many of us struggle with:
Knowing our value
Believing that people will value what we do and book us for their sessions and weddings
Promoting ourselves on social media, videos and at in person networking events
Fearing we aren't good enough or we are lacking experience, gear, knowledge or (fill in the black)
It's no secret that we work hard at developing our craft yet in spite of all that effort and sometimes regardless of how experiences a photographer is, that pesky little imposter syndrome voice pipes up leading us to question what we are doing.
Nearly every photographer I've ever come in contact with faces doubt, lack of confidence and imposter syndrome some point during their journey and I'm no exception!
So what's a photographer to do to push past that fear, doubt and gain more confidence, bookings and income? Well, you start by following these 5 tips....
#1 : Examine Your Thought Life
You see everything you are currently feeling and experience begins with a thought you think. Everything starts in your mind. The thoughts you think become your beliefs, your beliefs shape your actions, your actions determine your habits and your habits determine your future.
It all starts in your mind or as The Greatest Success Book Every Written states “As a man thinks, so he is.”
So the first step in becoming a more confident photographer is to recognize the thoughts you are already thinking.
If you find yourself thinking unhealthy and negative thoughts, this leads us into tip #2...
#2 : Change Your Mindset
Make a conscious decision to stop thinking the thoughts that are full of doubt and fear and instead, replace them with positive thoughts that support the photography business and life that you one day want to have.
Let me give you an example. Maybe you've been telling yourself something like:
"There are other photographers with more experience. Why would anyone book me?”
That negative thought, that lie can be replaced with something like:
"I am a passionate photographer who is continuously learning and will serve the clients who do book me with to the best of my ability."
Do you see how one thought can get you stuck while the other empowers you to continue towards growth?
The bottom line is that if you want to overcome imposter syndrome, you are going to have to train your brain to think successfully. Not only that, but repeating those new, healthy thoughts is a must. Remind yourself everyday, multiple times a day what you are going after. Repetition is key.
So let’s move onto...
#3 : Take Small Steps Consistently
In today’s world, we have so much meaningless information thrown at us everywhere we turn! Our to do lists are miles long and perhaps, you're distracted with all the other commitments you have going on in life. This can lead anyone to feel overwhelm which can then lead to procrastination.
Here's the truth: You don't have to do everything to be successful. You just have to do the few key things right and consistently. Personally, I'm a big fan of monthly goals. Thirty days is the perfect amount of time to gain traction and it's not so much time that I risk procrastination. I share this process in detail in The Photographer's Booking Plan so if you'd like a free copy, click here!
But here's the gist: At any given moment, I've determined one primary business goal. Then I plan my tasks for the days and weeks for that month that support me getting closer to that one big goal. Of course like you, I have a long to do list, but I ask myself: What is the most valuable use of my time right now based on my one big business goal? What is the one thing I can do now that will have the biggest impact on my business?
When I ask those questions, the answer becomes evident. The tasks that would be most beneficial are clear so that's what I work on first.
Again, this planning process is laid out in detail in The Photographer's Booking Plan so if you want a free copy, click here.
Let's move on to #4 : Just Do It
Life is short. We get one shot at it. You are going to regret the things you didn’t do, but wanted to more than than the things you do do. It’s easy to worry and fret, but most of the things we worry about never actually happen.
If you're still reading this email, I know you have a passion for photography. Photography is a gift that you can use to bless others, but in order to do that, you have to ACT! Stop wasting your limited time complaining about the hundreds of photographers down the road that charge next to nothing. Stop complaining about not having the right clients or any clients or the high end gear. Stop complaining that none of your marketing is working. Stop complaining and take action to figure it out.
You can learn any skill you need to to change your business. You just have to start. Now a days, it's incredibly easy to find someone who has what you want and learn from them. And the more you learn and apply what you are learning, the more your skill set will increase and the more confidence you’ll have, but you have to stop complaining and start doing.
If you take step 4 seriously and start doing the work, you will fail, which also happens to be #5
#5 : Expect failure.
Hear me out: Failure is not a bad thing. Failure is not a dirty word.
You don’t have to do business or life life perfectly. In fact it's impossible for anyone of to do things 100% perfect 100% of the time, so do not put that pressure yourself.
Understand that imperfect action will always get your way further than perfect inaction.
Did you know that Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learning anything." He was also fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." He also tried 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the lightbulb. And yet, when he was asked about his "failures," Edison simply replied "I didn't fail 1000 times. The lightbulb was an invention of 1000 steps."
Did you catch that? Did you see how Edison's perspective of "failures" spurred him toward his goal?
And let’s talk about Walt Disney for a moment...
Did you know that Walt Disney was once fired for “lacking creativity?” And then, when he had the idea of Micky Mouse, he was rejected by over 300 bankers because they thought his idea was absurd?
And yet, Walt Disney persisted. Even in the face of failure after failure and let down after let down, he kept going. And now, on average, 150 million people visit Disney parks every year.
So here's the point: Your failures are actually stepping stones that lead you to success.
If you choose to implement these 5 tips, you will undoubtedly overcome imposter syndrome, ditch your doubt and become a confident photographer.
Comment below let me know which tip resonate most with you!
Cheering you on!
Heather