If you’re already a professional creator, then you know that you had to hear a lot of “no” for every “yes”. If you’re not yet a pro, or perhaps more importantly if you are a pro whose enjoyed a taste of success, then hear this: Get Used To Hearing “No”.
Quite honestly, understanding this will be some of the best medicine you’ll ever take – because once you get it…you GET it, and it will be with you forever. The powerful result of taking this medicine TODAY is that the word NO will change from bumming you out to inspiring you and driving your actions to get to the next YES. As such, enjoy this tasty medicine 😉
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1. Let “no” serve as a motivator. If you don’t win a gig from an agency or a magazine, if you lose it to another photographer, vow to win the next one. Make a plan for how to do it different, better than you did last time. Make new photos, prepare, hone your vision, whatever it takes.
2. Let “no” keep out the other people who don’t want it as bad as you do. Remember, when you’re hearing “no”, so is almost everyone else. When other artists hear “no” too much, they quit, defeated, never to return again. Don’t let that be you. When you hear “no”, let it remind you of this little post.
3. Let “no” remind you that this job isn’t for everyone, especially the uncommitted. In a round about way, every “no” should remind you that you’re in the right place, not the wrong place. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.
4. Let “no” turn you into a better artist. A bunch of “no” usually doesn’t mean that you’re not talking to the right people. It usually means your work is not “there” yet. If that’s the case, see #1.
5. Mario Andretti once famously said, “If everything feels under control, you’re just not driving fast enough”. Same goes here. If you’re… …not hearing “no”, you’re not really getting your work out there enough, pushing what’s possible, pushing yourself.
Now here’s the kicker. It should be plainly obvious that, after a substantial amount of time cultivating the above vision, you will likely start to hear a hell of a lot of “yes”. That’s nice. Nice for the bank account. Nice for the ego. Nice for your portfolio or whatever. But when that happens, don’t get cocky. Don’t only seek yes, don’t depend on it, because it makes you and your work soft. Not in a cuddly way. In a way that you’ll get apathetic.
Of course it’s a balance, but mark my words: when you start to hear a lot of “yes”, consider doing what it takes to hear a bit more “no”. I’m betting that you’ll thank me – or more importantly, thank yourself.
Great post! But… is she holding soap-on-a-rope?!?
“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!” ~ Randy Pausch
Chase, I’ve been following your blog for a year or two, maybe three, can’t really remember…and it doesn’t really matter 😉
You’ve had a lot of great posts here but the one’s I love the most are these kinds of motivational and inspiring posts. Sure, most photographers are in one way, or another, “gear heads” and I can see that if you’re new in the craft it’s important to learn about gear or more importantly how to use it and if you’re seasoned then you can still enjoy and learn new things as technology and you, yourself develops. But all that, you can learn by trial and error, and yes you can learn the business and creative side by the same method, BUT the things you write about in this post and others like it are so much more valuable advice for all of us and goes beyond the photography business. It’s more like an A-Z on how to live your life no matter what business your in. Am I rambling, I think I am… Anyway I loved this post because it really says what I lovingly tell my two daughter’s 2 and 4 years old when they stumble and fall for the gazzillion time today: -Up and try again, you’ll make it, next time! Never give up, If you want it bad enough, you’ll get it! Thanks Chase for being such an inspiring and giving person.
Right on Chase.
No means — not right now.
Clients needs change it’s always good try back. Not the next day but you get what I’m say’n.
Cheers.
Oh my god, look at the time…..
Sorry, gotta run
Laters
C.