Mindset Series: Part 3

Reframe Challenges as Opportunities 

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right” – Henry Ford

Sometimes the limiting belief in your head might be true. For example, a very common objection I hear from photographers is that “I can’t charge enough to be a full-time photographer because I live in a small town.”

You might live in a small town. That may be a true fact.

When a limiting belief is true I like to call that an “excuse”. Most people seek to justify their true limiting beliefs by making excuses and accepting reality. All entrepreneurs face great challenges. There is no easy path to business. But every challenge presents an opportunity. 

I like the ask myself “what is the opportunity here?” Sometimes I replace the word “opportunity” with “advantage”. What is the advantage to this challenge? Let’s take our small town example. In a small town, everyone might already know you! In a small town, everyone is proverbially famous. You might have to spend infinitely less time and money marketing to the masses to be known among your peer group! Do you know how hard it is to stand out in a large city? To get in front of your intended audience? How much noise there is when marketing to millions of people? In a small town, you get to start out already famous… putting you ten steps ahead of someone in a big city!

Another common objection I hear is “No one is willing to pay those prices.”

The truth? YOU might not be able to afford your own prices. Your family might not be willing. Your friends might not be willing. Several people you know might not be willing to pay those prices. So maybe there is some truth to your belief. But as a blanket statement for everyone? That is false. Photographer Kevin Abosch sold a picture of a potato for more than a MILLION DOLLARS. There are people willing to pay any price point. The opportunity for photography businesses lies within branding and your ability to communicate value. The market for photography is as big as you want to make it! The opportunity is unlimited.

Let’s take a third common excuse: “I don’t have enough time for XYZ.”

That statement might be VERY true! You might not have enough time to hand edit every image… or do an In-Person Sales reveal after each session… or take on 10+ sessions per week. Time is a scarce and valuable resource but it isn’t a challenge. We ALL have the same 24 hours in a day. Time constraints present an opportunity to create efficiency, dial in exactly what we need to be focusing on, craft a workflow that is balanced around our lifestyle, and build a business that best suits the needs of our clients and ourselves. Make your limited time work for you, not against you. 

As I encounter limiting beliefs, most of them are false. As we previously discussed, I try to name the lie and replace it with the truth. However, sometimes the limiting belief is true. In this case, I try to flip the script and find the opportunity within the challenge. As Nelson Mandela famously said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.”