Part 2: Crushing Doubts Together: Earning A Successful Career

If you are anything like me, you have your sights set HIGH.  My expectations regarding my dreams/career are lofty.  After running this little sticker box [as shown on the picture below] on my Instagram "stories" a couple weeks ago, I learned that many of you doubt that you can achieve SUCCESS in your work. 

Let me be the first to say, I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I have doubts about being successful every day myself.  When I have just one slow day of sales I begin to question everything I've been doing for hours on end.  It's so easy to let one little doubt crush your positive mentality that you've worked so hard to build.  I remind myself daily that success must be WORKED FOR.  I will continue to pour out my heart and soul and remind you that everything takes time, consistency, faith in yourself, and damn hard work.

This week I'd like to share my thoughts to hopefully help put your doubts at ease in chasing your dreams and running a successful business. 

• You CAN keep a successful business going.
• First of all- you get to define "successful."  It's up to you to determine what successful means and nobody else's opinion matters.  [Well, maybe your banker.] 
• My advice: Create a vision board, set goals, work hard towards those goals, always remember the "end goal", prioritize tasks and learn to say "no", continue to learn, follow the Golden Rule, and be authentically YOU!

My reply was:

• I challenge you to make a list of the characteristics that someone who is "good" at your career has.  I know nothing about your line of work, but I can guarantee after getting to know you as a friend that you have all the qualities you just scrawled out. 
• I think you just need some time under your belt to believe in yourself.  Keep that list taped inside your planner, tucked in your wallet, or framed on your nightstand.  Remind yourself often that you have what it takes to be "good" and you'll prove to the world, and most importantly, YOURSELF that you are GREAT AT IT.

 

This next "doubt" probably hits home for more than half of you, so please keep your thoughts positive and let's help you crush this doubt!  My Instagram follower said, "I doubt that I'll make a success out of this career."

This response came from the heart and reminded me that even though 99% of the time I think social media is the devil, there is something great about connecting with like-minded people on it.  In response to her I wrote:

• First of all, I believe in you.  And I know many other people that do, too!
• We all have our own ideas of how a career should go.  Manifest YOUR ideas and believes and put your heart into all you do.
• Figure out your "why" and make your moves that align with it.
• Remember my favorite saying, "it's who you know, not what you know," and continue making the connections with other career-driven individuals that you can share your highs and lows with.  
• You've really got this, my friend!  [Also, see the last slide].

This response made me think of a popular post that was circulating Facebook the weeks before.  So I said:

• Wait a minute.  Did you not see the bottle of water post going around social media a few weeks ago?  First, I'm going to tell you there's no such thing as overpopulated. 
• Next, I'm going to find the post and slap it down on the next slide.  [do we call these slides?  I can just hear the sound of a slide projector going wwkkkssshhh]  Because I can't say it any better than what I read about bottles of water. 
• Pretend you are holding a store-bought bottle of water and hold please."

So this was the next slide I posted:

The article in the picture that I took a screenshot of from Facebook talks about how the same bottle of water costs a consumer anywhere from $2-$5 because the value changes depending on location.

I related this bottle of water article to the gal who had responded to my "doubt" question as a photographer.  I hope I was able to help her change her misconception regarding the photography industry being overpopulated. 

I replied to her:

• Each place gives a different value of the same product.  I believe that also means, each photographer gives a different value of the same product- a picture.  Your clients will book with you because of who YOU are as a person and how you make them feel before, during, and after a session."

I would like to add, that yes, I believe the quality of your posing and editing skills also makes a difference to the clients you book; however, your personality and work ethic is what is going to set you apart from your most comparable competition.  It may be helpful for you to write out a competitive analysis.  I did so before opening Broker Leather.  I wrote down who I thought were my biggest competitors, and listed their strengths and weaknesses.  Therefore; I know what I could improve upon to "beat" the other stores.

I replied: 

• Cowgirl up, my friend.
• If a Master's is your goal, what's holding you back?
• Illegitimate negative thoughts that you can't even speak to your friends and family because they'll squash your "reasoning" in seconds with love and support?!?
• If so, quit it!
• We are all here for you!  If a Master's is what you want, get it, girl!
• I suggest all the same steps here as I did the previous slides. 

Thank you, again and again, for following me on Facebook & Instagram and for interacting with my page.  I won't ever claim to be an expert, but I am always here cheering you on and ready to remind you to be who the hell you are.  You CAN do this, you're just going to need a little cowgirl determination and grit.

In case you missed it, last week I shared Part 1 of my responses regarding Balancing Family & Business, in a separate blog post, here.