Is this holding your business back?
What do you say when someone asks you what you do?
When I would meet someone new, I would tell them I’m a mom married to my high school sweetheart. I usually would say, “I’m Neyssa, I’m just a stay-at-home mom.” Or maybe I would share about my job at the engineering firm I worked for. Meanwhile, I’m busting my butt trying to build my business in addition to all of these roles.
It took me years to be able to say, “I am a photographer.” And even then I would add one word that was holding back my entire business.
I’m JUST a photographer.
Telling people I’m “just” a photographer, or I’m a stay-at-home mom who takes photos of families was slowly killing my spirit and my business.
The word “just” was completely belittling everything I was doing, it was holding me back in my business.
It made small every early morning I woke up to work on my business, every nap time hustle, every late night spent editing. It not only was telling the world that I’m not serious about my business, it told ME all my work and effort didn’t mean anything. “Just” told me that my business was of low importance.
How can I truly grow when I clearly think so little of my business? This word “just” was holding me back and I couldn’t even see it.
I had to practice saying, “I’m a photographer. I’m a photographer. I AM a photographer.” Over and over I would say it in the mirror until I believed it. And as I dropped “just” my confidence grew, my business mindset shifted and I started to grow.
Can you say it? Say it aloud right now. “I am a photographer.”
Don’t add anything else. Repeat it. Say it until you believe it. Otherwise, you could be just like me, slowly defeating your own business. I mean, how can you invest in yourself and your business if you’re just a photographer?
As the words flow more easily from your mouth, watch your transformation and your business truly soar.
For more photography business tips and resources visit my Photographers Business Coaching blog.