Why is it that our society clearly celebrates the chance takers, yet we rarely encourage one another to take chances–especially those people closest to us?
Almost all your favorite artists quit the traditional to pursue their dreams. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates dropped out of college to pursue their passions. Regardless if you wanna be in art, or film, or accounting, or a pro athlete, the story is the same.
Go tell your husband that you’re quitting your well paying job to pursue a career in video and film. Or go tell your parents you’re dropping out of college to pursue photography full time and see what they say.
I’m not saying quit your day job on the spot. But I do find it strange that our culture by-and-large celebrates those people who have taken non-traditional paths to success, but yet it rarely encourages people to take those same paths when success is only a distant dream.
What is wrong with us?
Take that chance. And encourage others in your life to do the same.
I’m about to go back to the full time job from a 1 year maternity leave 🙁
I suggested that VERY idea to those closest to me, to not go back and just pursue my photography career instead. Let’s just say I wasn’t encouraged and I go back to the “traditional” job 🙁 in 2 weeks! Ugh…..
I wonder if Chase finds time to read the responses to his posts.
Regardless, people avoid that encouragement because it makes them a participant in something enormous and risky that is not their own. People, perhaps subconsciously, know the hit/miss ratio, and want no part of encouraging something with those odds.
Taboo.
So we instead say, “I really hope it works out for you. Good luck.” instead of, “Yes!!! You should do that!!!!”
Not really a surprise, IMO.
Taking a chance today Chase. spending my summer savings (after a grueling summer at Seaworld San Diego) on a new camera set up (Nikon 😀 ). Stoked!
Thanks Chase
I’ve been wanting to make that leap from the second I looked through a viewfinder for the first time some 37 months ago. Since them I have tried my best to get my skills and images up to a level that I feel comfortable with showing them to others.
Excuses have been plentiful for not leaping – my images aren’t good enough, landscape photography might not pay the bills, mortgage, if only I had a €5k cushion, I don’t have time to practice because my day job gets in the way, etc. The real excuse is probably more like “I’m afraid that if I take the leap that what I fear will become a reality – my images, and therefore I, will be rejected”. I still hold back the images I love but that I believe others will not appreciate or understand.
Slowly I’ve been showing my images to people, close friends and family mostly. Being a very shy person makes it harder (oh there’s another excuse) but I’m trying. Hopefully I’ll make my 2011 target but I’m still a bit away.
I’ve been holding on to a corporate contract position since I started photography about 5 years ago. My contract is up in less than a month. My photo business currently provides about 1/3 of my income. I’ve really been struggling to find the motivation to get another job that I hate just to pay the bills. So… I decided about a week ago to put all of my efforts into building my photography business.
This article definitely helped confirm that decision. Life is way too short to spend 40 hours a week doing something you have no passion for. Scary but here goes nothing!
Thanks!