So you want to be a professional?
Photographer. Director. Golfer. Belly dancer. Designer. Waiter. Model.
If you’re wondering if you’ve got what it takes to go pro, try it. Seriously. Quit what you’re doing now and go there. You’ll know soon after you’ve tried to go there whether or not you’re in the right spot. If you don’t have what it takes, it will be obvious – going pro will be too hard, other things will seem more interesting, more pleasurable, more fun.
On the other hand, if you do have what it takes, you will be reborn. All setbacks will seem small, all goals achievable, all hurdles put there only to keep out the others. You will know you’re on the right path.
One thing for certain is that both paths–trying to go pro and steering clear of going pro–will be full of fear. In one case the fear is that you’ll fail and not be good enough. In the other case the fear is that you’ll never have lived your dream…
When you think of those two, which one is worse?
great post man, its often not what you do to be successful but what you give up in order to open your self up to new and greater things. Sacrifice usually always brings great reward!!
Personally for me it would be the second, never knowing if I could have made it one day.
With the above said, it won’t be easy. Pursuing your passion requires a lot of sacrifice and and conviction. You need to be determined yet humble and able to accept criticism. You will also find out who your true friends are. Just as dangerous as the naysayers are the ones to allow you to go with the wind and don’t challenge you. Lastly, don’t go it alone. Have somebody(s) to keep you accountable of your priorities.
Exactly what I needed to hear today. Perfect timing Mister Chase.
Now if only the bank understood “living my dream” when asking for my mortgage check. 🙂
But seriously inspiring, Chase. Food for thought.
Yeah exactly. It’s all very well preaching this ideal Chase but when you have a family, kids, rent it’s often not fear that stops you but real life.
I agree I am 38 with 4 kids and I solid job I have held down for 15+ years. It would be irresponsible to my family and detrimental to my retirement to go chasing after pie in the sky. I once heard from a long time photography professional say “if you love photography, never do it for a living” this is pretty sound advice. It is a great hobby and I even make money once in awhile…why mess up a good thing? The industry is saturated with so-called photography “pros” and few customers are willing to pay a fair price for the work we put into it. Having said that…without these life obligations/REWARDS I would jump in feet without thinking twice.
I think that’s the whole point! You, and the photographer that said not to go pro, don’t have the undeniable passion and drive and inner I-WAS-MADE-FOR-THIS to commit to it and love it with abandon.
To me, that is what going pro is about.
Of COURSE to follow your dream should also mean that you can pay the bills. If not, maybe it’s not the right dream to follow. But ‘professing’ something isn’t about being able to pay bills. ‘Vocation’ (calling) is more than getting a paycheck. We should do what we were designed to do, and for me that’s being creative.
Left engineering in 1999… now, 5-kids, one wife… scary mortgage… 90% of my gear fits into a Lowepro 400AW Trekker.
Anxious moments? Definitely.
Regrets? None.
I’m never going back into the Box… never.