For Photographers : It’s not just about your “Why”, you’ve got to find your dream

I often hear photographers, and business owners in general, speak about your “why”. It is the North Star of running a business, your reason for why you wake up every day and want to keep doing it, and you will regularly see it spoken about when giving out business advice. There are many books written on the topic.

And while your why is invauable, I want to take a minute to talk about dreams. Not just dreams for your business, but dreams for you.

First, let me talk about my why for a minute. In its simplest form it comes down to making people feel seen. Your why should actually have nothing, or very little, to do with what you do. For example, my why is expressed through capturing the partnerships people share with their animals because I love animals and feel most myself around them, and so I connect with other people who feel authentic and themselves around their animals. And I just so happen to do this with a camera. But my why is not about taking pictures or telling visual stories, it is about authenticity and allowing people to feel themselves. My “why” doesn’t just show up in my business but also every aspect and relationship in my life. It’s what inspires me and drives me, what keeps me searching for people who speak my language, people who also feel a little bit misunderstood and un-seen by the world, people who come alive in the company of their animals and want to capture that feeling.

So what do my dreams look like? The acreage we purchased this year, the horses who live on it, the house we want to build, a small and simple barn, a pasture full of goats and sheep and ducks, getting to experience the world with the love of my life? Those are the things that keep me working tirelessly even on the days when running a business is hard. Because those dreams take money and sometimes you need something to kick you in the butt to keep you working. A why won’t always do that, but a dream? Something you just can’t give up on. Well that is what keeps me going.

So next time you’re feeling uninspired in your business or wanting to throw in the towel? Maybe it’s not time to revisit your why but it’s time to dream. Sit down and think about what you want your life to look like in 5 years and how can your business help you get there.