Your Desire Is Your Superpower | Virtual Assistant for Photographers
I'm gonna let you in on a little secret that I never really posted about before.
I didn't really enjoy being a photographer very much. 🤭
Feels really vulnerable to write it out that bluntly, because I wrestled with myself over it for years. But that's the truth of the matter. I did some sort of photography, either full time or part time, for 10 years. And there were definitely like parts about it that I really did love, don't get me wrong. But I kept trying to make it a successful career. And it kept feeling so forced.
And I never really understood why… until I was forced to stop.
Back in 2019 I was I unexpectedly lost my coaching job. And I decided to go full time into my photography as a result. I was eight weeks pregnant & everything was scary. But I'm a risk taker, and I had a gut feeling that it was time to run my own business! This was something I had dreamed of doing since I was a teenager. So I did.
I went all in. And while I booked the shoots that I needed to book, and made the incoming I needed to make…. everything felt forced and I couldn’t figure out why.
It felt like I had my hands over my ears, tuning my own voice out, because photography is a thing that made me feel safe. It was an industry that I knew. And so I charged forward.
Fast forward to 2021… I had a baby at the height of the pandemic, had serious health issues as a result of that pregnancy, and was now trying to run a photography business while taking care of a toddler with no help (because thanks, COVID).
And I got burned the fuck out.
More burnt out that I've ever experienced in my life. I was to the point where, like, I couldn't even work. So everything that I had been building towards for the last two years came to a screeching halt. And I was forced to ask myself what do I actually want? And I finally started listening to myself…to my desires. I had to look myself in the mirror, take a deep breath, and be honest about the fact that I didn't want to be a photographer.
I wanted to run my own business. But I didn't want to be a photographer.
I started asking myself what were aspects of the business that I really truly loved. And all of it had to do with admin and marketing system. Hell… I came home from a photography workshop once, and all I thought about was systems! How to make things efficient, how to use automations, how to use my time well. IF THAT WASN’T A SIGN I WAS MEANT TO BE A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT 😅
So I started to put together a virtual assistant business SERVING photographers (instead of BEING a photographer), everything started clicking. It was nothing like I ever experienced as a photography business owner. Everything was full of ease. I had content ideas for days. I knew exactly what I wanted things to look like.
And that's the point of all this:I wish I would have saved myself a lot of time by leaning into my desire. I wish I would have known your desire IS your superpower.
As business owners it's so crucial to not just the $$$ success of our business, but the long the sustainability of our of our business, to ENJOY our freaking lives.
We deserve to have a business that brings joy. Obviously every business is also going to bring stress, but our business just should overall make our lives better. Otherwise, there's literally no point.
I wish I would have saved myself so much time and struggle by just being honest with myself about what I really desired. And for you… it probably isn't a leap from photography. I see that enjoyment from so many of my clients that was missing for me. But it might be time to evaluate your niche, or your ideal client, or your price point, or your work/life balance…or whatever it is.
You will do yourself a huge favor by starting first with what you desire, instead of what you should do. Your desire is your superpower. Let your business come from your heart. Lead with desire.
(A good book that talks about this concept is The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte)
