A few times over the years I’ve shared this quote by Ross Perot:
“Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touchdown.”
So many times over my career in this industry, I’ve seen people give up, just as they were about to cross the finish line. They lacked enough faith in their spirit to keep plugging away a little longer.
In any workshop, if I ask a group of photographers about advertising, somebody will always say, “We tried it once, but it didn’t work!” Ask some people about trying some different lenses or shooting wide open for a different look, and you’ll hear almost the same, “I’ve tried it, but my clients like the look I have!” Ask them to move the lights in their studio, the ones that are put in the same spot every day on the masking tape on the floor, and you’ll sense the same concern.
Go one step further and step into the “Taboo Zone” and suggest their prices might be too low and you’ll see a room full of people with the same look as a deer in your headlights! They won’t do the research to consider raising their prices. Yet, these same artists are living on macaroni and cheese, afraid of taking a more aggressive approach to building a stronger business.
Well, what if those photographers are all standing on Ross Perot’s one-yard line? What if they just needed to run that ad a few more times for people to contact them? What if they only needed a little more patience to build a stronger skill set? What if they needed to look at creating more added value and raising the bar on what they’re offering their customers?
Too many of you are missing the fun of this industry – trying something new and look at what your business or skill set might need. I’m not saying you should take random risks with your business, just believe in yourself and utilize your network. We’re an industry filled with talented artists, great writers, and amazing visionaries, but we have to remember not to let all the daily garbage in our lives get in the way and creating a “listening disorder”!I know it’s tough waiting for your ship to come in. There’s a great line I’ve used most of my adult life, “It’ll be my luck when my ship comes in, I’ll be at the airport!” But, I’ve seen so many photographers who were able to stay focused, stay aggressive in their marketing efforts, believe in themselves and things did come together.
I know it’s tough waiting for your ship to come in. There’s a great line I’ve used most of my adult life, “It’ll be my luck when my ship comes in, I’ll be at the airport!” But, I’ve seen so many photographers who were able to stay focused, stay aggressive in their marketing efforts, believe in themselves and things did come together.
It’s all about taking action, being patient and not giving up. And since Ross Perot put us on the one-yard line in this post, I might as well stay with a football theme and give Vince Lombardi the spotlight:
“It’s easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you’re a winner, when you’re number one. What you’ve got to have is faith and discipline when you’re not yet a winner!”
