The wedding industry can be a beast. A really mean one that is waiting with eager anticipation to see you fail. In a big way. I know the main reason for this is insecurity. And for some odd reason many people feel that the success of a competitor equals failure of their own business-which is totally not true.
But here’s the real rub. People who get just a little too insecure with their business tend to look outward instead of inward. They find one reason their business is thriving or failing and harp on it. To no end. They have decided that this one area equals success and if they don’t achieve it, they will fail. Every other blog post and Facebook update is about this one thing. They decide that their business will live or die by how the public acts on this one premise. Soon enough they start protecting their theory so much that they loose sight of the original goal. To provide a service in an industry that they love. Their focus becomes squashing all who don’t agree with their view. While they are busy harping on one thing they let 10 other things fall through the cracks.
That is the problem with social media. It allows for us to be so quick to act on our emotions in a very public way. We light a match and burn a bridge faster than we can find the garbage can to toss the matches out. So here’s my encouragement to you. If you find yourself posting the same thing multiple times: maybe take an hour to sit and reflect. Think if there could be a different reason for your thinking. What is the heart of the matter as to why I keep harping on the same thing? See if people are actually responding to your harping. Or is that dead horse you are beating falling on deaf ears?
Do you get sucked into the black hole that is a harping person? I am totally guilty of this. Then stop listening to it! I know, super complex concept, but for me I am easily drawn into that abyss and sometimes it requires Ben to bring me back into reality where the successful businesses are. You know, the ones who are constantly striving to be the best at what they do and loving on others.
I think I am writing this more for me than for any of you, but it’s such an important concept to keep a grasp of. I figure that if I struggle with this then maybe some of you do too and this might help knowing you’re not alone. There is never one reason why a business fails. There is never one reason why it succeeds. Continue to strive to be the best at what you do and see where it leads.
What kind of photographer would I be if I didn’t add a picture with this post?! This image is from the 4th wedding we photographed and the very first wedding we shot where the bride and groom weren’t friends of ours. Talk about insecure! It was a big moment in our career and I can’t imagine where we would be today had I wasted time harping on things that don’t really matter.
