Many years ago I was asked to meet with a pair of college entrepreneurs who had an idea to create this “new” product. The catch was that this “new” product was identical to someone another client of mine had been doing for a few years.

I took the meeting out of professional curiosity and was a bit dismayed by what transpired.

The new company’s business plan was simply “the other company sucks” and “the owner of the other company sucks” so theirs would (by default) be better.

The new company’s marketing strategy was “we’ll hire the same photographer to create an almost identical looking product.”

The hour-long meeting involved 45 minutes of the two of them bashing and trash talking the other company. Then came 10 minutes of them attempting to find out “secrets” from me as to what made their rival successful. The final 5 minutes they wrapped up by returning to bash the other company.

Needless to say, I did not end up doing the project.

Flash forward in time, the two did release their product to dismal and crushing results. The product was dead upon launch – although I would argue it was dead long before that.

The sole and entire impetus for these two was to attempt to take down, shame, defeat or put down another company that they didn’t like.

Listen, it is not unreasonable to have a distaste for your competition; but to base an entire company and product or services off that is a fruitless effort.

Your views on your competition, or your enemies, does nothing for your consumers. The end users.

Instead – the better option is to focus on making something with meaning.

This is what my friend Sarah Burke did with her new venture The Rise Up Project. You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkkrznZilZY

It is the story of an Arizona-based music teacher who, along with her 400 students, created a unifying voice to campaign for what they want to achieve. That is creating something for the right reasons.

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com

It was not more than a few months ago that I had the opportunity to first meet and work

June 2013 Featured Talent Carla Warner

with fitness talent Carla Warner who has been making significant advancements into her passions in the fitness industry. Check out the interview below in which she details her journey and how a deal she made with her son got her up on stage and what helped her appear in two commercial photo shoots.

James Patrick: To begin, what inspired you to compete?
Carla Warner: My Children. It stared with a conversation with my 18-year-old last year. He was asking me why he couldn’t just take the GED and get out of high school faster to start the schooling he wanted. He said, “mom I understand how hard it was for you to start the journey in your life so young because I know you had me when you were my age and I know you struggled as a single mother trying to raise 3 children, but in your path you gave up on your dreams and goals.”

I proceeded to tell him I didn’t give up on them I just had to take another path that wasn’t about me; it was about being a mother. I tried to explain that in life there are chapters that we start and we must finish. I have always taught my children there is a balance in life and finishing what you have started keeps that balance going smoothly. If we gave up on things happening in our life because they are hard or to just take the easier route, we would just go in circles and never really get anywhere. 

He said he understood the importance of his diploma and wanted to make a deal with me. I was thinking oh no; what deal could he be cooking up to get out of school?! So I listened as he finished saying, that he has watched me give up all that truly made me happy to try to teach us the balance of life young so we don’t live a hard life and he went on too say how passionate I used to be about fitness when he was a young boy and he feels I gave up on my dreams, and if I would compete that he would finish high school. I was shocked!

He went on to say he notices how I follow Pro Athletes online and he sees me looking at their pictures and he’s always wondered why I’ve never tried to compete. This is the one thing I truly love about my son. He is so observant of others and how they feel, he has a good heart.

I told him I felt I was too old now. He said, “come to the computer mom” and he started to pull up pictures of Athletes who were my age, and some who were older, then he said “plus you look younger than them”. Which made me laugh! So to make a long story short, my son’s deal was – if I trained and competed and got on stage, he would finish high school and get his diploma. How could I say no to that?

JP: So what happened next?
CW: I signed up with AZ Pro Physiques November 1st and started training for my first bikini competition on March 23rd 2013. The smile on my son’s face, when I had finally stepped on stage and finished something I had always wanted to do, was such a gift! He kept telling me how proud he was of me. That same smile was on his face again, the day he graduated high school May 29th. At that moment I felt he understood what accomplishment felt like. There is a saying I love, “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” My son tough me you are never to0 old to chase your dreams! So here I am at 37 years old and on my way to my second competition on July 19th!

JP: From there you chose to begin to develop a portfolio – can you tell me what got you interested in doing that?
CW: I started to notice, all the Pro Athletes I follow online had professional photos done. After viewing the photos from my first photo shoot, I realized how much work I had really accomplished. Then Lindsay McGaffey, an Athlete I follow who is also a mother, contacted me. She inspired me to continue with my fitness journey, when I thought I was finished. Modeling gave me more confidence, but I didn’t think it could take me anywhere at my age. Kim Miller, from Fit Mom Diet, also inspired me towards fitness modeling and building a portfolio. She taught me, that even at my age, fitness modeling could open more opportunities for a future career. Then I came across the podcast, THE PRO EXPOSURE with Kim Miller, Jason Black and, James Patrick chatting about what makes a successful talent portfolio. I learned what type of photos I needed in my portfolio and how to represent myself in a portfolio. I’m still working on my portfolio as I want it to represent my personality.

JP: Shortly after your first photo shoot you were invited to participate in a commercial campaign. Can you share a little about that experience?
CW: First, I would like to thank Kim Miller for introducing me to experiencing that campaign. I enjoyed everything about it. Starting from meeting others who are as passionate about health and fitness as I am, along with meeting different types of models from all ages. It opened up more opportunities for me to see the different types of modeling jobs out there, besides just fitness modeling. It was nice to see how different the photography was in the commercial campaign. To also see all the work that goes into the advertisements we see in our everyday life. Now I will look at traveling ads differently and restaurant ads in a different light. Knowing how much work goes into them to look just right. 

JP: You also recently shot an advertising campaign for a product company. How do you feel these opportunities came about?
CW: Well personally I feel everything has fallen into place for me because I’m doing what I love. The people who I surround myself with, who have the same positive outlook on life also have a big part. My goal is to represent myself in a way that shows others how passionate I am about health and fitness. I feel I showed that when I did the commercial campaign. Kim Miller saw that and felt I’d be a good fit to represent Fitmark Bags, which made me feel so honored and blessed. Blessed is truly the only word that comes to mind with every opportunity that has been happening in my life this year. From fitness, to my good health, competing, to having a relationship, being a mother and step mom.

JP: You’ve mentioned balance. Outside of fitness you’re both a mom and a step mom. How do you balance all that you do?
CW: Balance is the key word in the Warner household, with a total of six children! Once again I have to talk about fitness! I’m a big believer on meditation. I do a lot of Yoga and Hot Yoga which I feel helps me balance my mind and body even my son Aaron is big on Yoga since I introduced him to it. He says it helps him balance his thoughts and life. Lets start by first introducing to you all six of them! My son Aaron is 18 years old and on his way to college to be botanist and out of all my children he has a passion for fitness also. He takes weight training at school and regular yoga classes weekly. My daughter Cami is 16-years-old and just starting to drive this year. She also loves yoga, but she prefers only hot yoga. She wants to be a schoolteacher. My youngest Gavin is 8 years old, full of energy, and loves sports. I have to stay fit to keep up with him the most! My stepdaughter Mikayla is off to Grand Canyon University to be a nurse, in high school Mikayla was a cheerleader for two years and Gymnast for seven years. I’ve never seen anyone flip like that girl can. My stepson Gavin, yes we have two Gavins, is 15-years-old and is in track this freshman year and wants to stay in track all through high school. He’s also in band and working towards getting his driving permit this year. My youngest stepdaughter Olivia is 13-years-old. She just gave a speech this year at her school saying why they should start a soccer program and now they have soccer at her school she also is an animal lover. She volunteers at animal shelters because she wants to be a veterinarian. That’s a total of 5 teenagers in one house and four driving! That being said, I’ve always been asked how I balance it all, but all I can say is I keep going I never really stop. That’s the joke in my house. My oldest son says I’m like a shark, because if a shark stops they die! I think its because I’m a little OCD and ADD that’s why everything runs smoothly. I truly can’t separate fitness and being a mother because fitness is what helps me keep up with them all. As you can tell all the children are pretty active too. I believe that keeps balance their lives also. The children do go back and fourth on some weekends so that helps with time together as a couple. On top of all that I have to make time for my relationship, my husband Chris works as long as 16-hours-a-day so there are times we don’t get to see each other. So he and I plan a get away for just the two of us once a month. Just this weekend we planned an 8-mile hike to Strawberry, Arizona to go see the waterfalls and take a dip, but little did we plan for the 8-mile hike back. We made it through and laughed the whole way saying “if we can handle all of our children, then we can handle this 16 mile hike!” Truthfully Chris and I just have a natural personality to not let the small things get to us, if we did our relationship and family would not survive. I just try to remember all that I am thankful for, and each day is a new day. With new challenges we take them as they come.

JP: Now that you have a few photo shoots under your belt, as well as two commercial projects in your resume – what are you setting your goals and sights on now?
CW: I would love to be on a cover of a fitness magazine to inspire women out there who are wives and mothers like myself, that health and fitness needs to be a big part of our lives. It can make you feel good inside and out, a confidence that everyone should have. As mothers our children learn from us, so we must instill in them the same life style to take with them. If you are healthy you are wealthy. They say a person’s true wealth is the good he or she does in the world. I would love to help people with fitness goals in their lives. My son is encouraging me to go back to school, to become a yoga instructor or a personal trainer, because he thinks I will be that much happier if I’m helping others feel good about their health. For now my goal is to keep competing and try for my Pro Card in Bikini Junior Masters, and if not in Junior Masters than In Masters Level. And most of all to show my children anything is possible if you put your mind to it!

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com

One of my top goals in my career is to be represented by a photo agency. I broke ground on this goal by creating a list of several agencies and agents that have amazing rosters of photographers. They have proven track records of marketing these artists to some of the biggest print and commercial clients throughout the world.

For weeks I’ve sat looking at the list without sending in an application or contacting any of them. The thoughts that went through my mind included:

Is my portfolio good enough right now?
Should I create something new before I submit an application?
Do I have an impressive enough of a resume?
What if they don’t respond at all?
What if they respond to decline signing me?
Am I out of my league?
And worst yet… what if they simply don’t like my work?

Over the weekend I put aside all the questions and fears and I hit “submit.”

“Okay,” I thought “it was done.” My application had been submitted to one of the agencies and I went on with the rest of my day.

Monday morning I had a response. I hesitated for a moment before I clicked on the e-mail projecting a thousand possible scenarios for what the response could have said. I took a deep breath and clicked the e-mail and read it.

Not fully sure I understood what I saw, I read it again.

Then I closed the e-mail. I sat and just looked at a wall in my office for a minute, then I opened it and read it for a third time.

It was the worst case scenario right in front of me. Not only are they not looking to add photographers to their roster, they don’t feel my work fits into their “style.” Meaning I don’t meet their standards.

“Well,” I said aloud to myself, “that sucks.” For a few moments I felt pretty small and deflated. I paused to drink my coffee and reflect.

The worst possible thing that could have happened in applying just did. And now what?

I’m still a full time photographer in pursuit of my passions, I still have the same goals, excitements and abilities I had before I submitted my application. In fact… not one thing has changed in my life or in my career from that e-mail.

So the question is: if that is the results of the worst thing happening… why aren’t more people taking the risks they want to take?

Just a post script; to balance things out, the rest of the day yesterday I had two new magazine covers come out, got picked up for an international cover and booked three more cover shoots in the coming week.

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com

What is on your To Do List for today? Do you have to sit in a long meeting? Maybe you have to run around town doing errands or chores around the house. Will you spend a few hours refreshing your social media pages hoping for an update to satisfy your appetite?

Here are a few things to consider adding to your To Do List for the day.

Do NOT wait to be contacted. Looking at an empty e-mail inbox and a phone without a voicemail letting you know about the next job or opportunity for you? Today is the day to be proactive instead of reactive. Don’t wait for them to get in touch with you. Contact those you are interested in working with. Illustrate to them who you are and what you offer which is new or different or amazing.

Make a NEW connection. Maybe it is a fellow colleague in the industry, a prospective client or just someone you have respect for. Don’t look at it as a business step or a transaction. Simply make a new connection that you did not have before to expand your network +1.

Post/Share/Publish/Start something completely new. That blog you wanted to launch. That project you wanted to put out there. The venture you wanted to start on. Today is the day you can do it.

In the spirit of a new To-Do List; my colleagues and I are beginning to break ground today on a bevy of new and exciting projects. More details on that will be coming soon; but it all began with the choice to make it happen.

What will you choose to do today?

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com

My coffee lens mug

“Time, the saying goes, is money. It’s something we spend, save, and sometimes waste. But time is unlike money in at least one crucial respect; it is resolutely democratic. We all get the same amount – 168 precious hours every week. Yet despite time’s democratic distribution – or perhaps because of it – there’s one aspect of time on which we all seem to agree; nobody has enough of it.” – Daniel H. Pink, Free Agent Nation

When I left a corporate career, one of the things things I began to struggle with (and still do) is how to manage my time. Many of you, who work for yourselves or are entrepreneurial in spirit deal with the same issues.

How early each day should I start working? Then how late in the day should I work? I no longer have a time I have to show up; yet I feel that if I’m not working then I am missing out on an opportunity. There is no longer a predefined boundary of working from only 8-to-4 or 9-to-5. Instead many of us feel like we are always “on-call.”

We check our e-mails as we lay in bed. We update social media while the coffee is still brewing. We eat our lunch while either buried in a laptop or in between sets during a photo shoot – that is assuming we left time to eat at all. We allow ourselves to be available to our clients nearly 24 hours a day. And as a result our clients have begun to expect this of us.

I’ve been a fan of Daniel H. Pink’s books A Whole New Mind, Drive and The Adventures of Johnny Bunko. I recently decided to go back and read one of his early books; Free Agent Nation and am really invested in the discussion of how we as free agents divide up our time and how we can be more efficient in the use of that time.

If we each have those 168 hours – how will we utilize them and compartmentalize them? Which hours will be for work? Which for rest? Which for play?

The book points out that when we worked in a corporate environment – we had regular rituals or routines which kept us on track. The time we showed up. The time we went to lunch. The time we took a break to walk and get coffee or to talk to a co-worker.

So the idea is that we aim to establish routines in our freelance lives to establish these boundaries – albeit flexible and changeable boundaries. These could include:

- Starting the day off with something for you, not work related. Perhaps it is reading a chapter from a book, or going to the gym. Why fire up your e-mail first thing in the morning and run the risk of getting an e-mail which is going to require hours of your time to deal with?

- Try to eat around the same times every day, away from from. Whether it is walking away from your computer to enjoy your food or leaving the house to go somewhere for a coffee. This allows you to return a little refreshed and refocused.

- Work smarter, not longer. There is no sense working slowly for 8 hours getting little done because you are exhausted and cannot think straight, when you can rest for a few hours and get just as much done in 3 hours.

- Know when not to work. Once a week I have dinner with my family. I almost never taken projects on that day and don’t even check e-mail or take phone calls during that time.

We as freelancers have the ability to create and tailor our own routines to help shape our days in efforts to maximize our productivity without working ourselves into an exhausted and diminished state.

As part of this exploration I decided to catalog a snapshot of my life as a means of a personal audit on how I spend my time. On three days I wrote down everything I did on ever half hour of the day (getting the idea from the Pink book). Below is my re-cap on how I spent one of my days. It is interesting, if you do this exercise, how you can see the need for established routines to segment the day. If you were to audit your own time, what would you see the need to change?

FRIDAY MAY 17
5:00am: Woke up to an annoying phone alarm. Had breakfast and fired up computer. Posted a new tear sheet on Facebook and answered a few e-mails.5:30am: Finished getting ready and packed up rest of the photo gear.
6:00am: Got on the road to Phoenix. On the way listened to Queen’s Greatest Hits.
7:30am: Arrived at my first photo shoot in Downtown Phoenix early. Sat in the lobby listening to classical music on the builder’s intercom system.
8:00am: Met my first photo subject of the day, a lawyer I was doing an editorial portrait of. Not having much time with him I worked quickly to set up lighting and create the image.
8:30am: Walking back to my car to head to my next appointment.
9:00am: Feeling drained I stopped for a quick bite to eat.
9:30am: Arrived at my second photo shoot, a pair of financial managers for another editorial portrait shoot. Set up the lighting and proceeded to do the shoot.
10:00am: Headed back to my car and noticed I had an hour before my next meeting.
10:30am: Stopped off at a Starbucks to grab a coffee and to spend a little time reading.
11:00am: Had a lunch meeting with a colleague and client talking about new ventures.
12:30pm: Wrapped up meeting and decided to head to another coffee shop.
1:00pm: Set up my mobile office in a coffee shop and began working on my e-book as I enjoyed a latte. During the next four hours I worked on the e-book, answered a few client phone calls, a personal call, responded to e-mails and Facebook messages, sent off a few inquiry e-mails to prospective clients and began feeling like I was going to fall asleep.
5:00pm: Shaking the tiredness off I decided I needed a chance of scenery. I gathered my items and headed to a Paradise Bakery for a salad dinner (and a cookie). I called a friend for a quick chat and enjoyed a little down time. Also took a few moments to read a little more from my book.
6:00pm: I left for my last shoot of the day.
6:30pm: I arrived at the shoot location for a magazine cover assignment and unloaded my gear.
7:00pm: Model was in hair and makeup and Jason Black and I began testing the lighting set up we created.
7:30pm: The model is ready and the lights set – we began shooting and created a variety of images in the next 90 minutes.
9:00pm: Wrapped the shoot and packed up the gear.
9:30pm: Jason and I enjoyed a small late meal and a convo before we had to turn in as we had a shoot early the next day.
11:00pm: My head finally hits the pillow.

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com

Australian Iron Man Cover Featuring D.J. Trudeau

I first had the opportunity to work with D.J. Trudeau last year on one of my team’s trips to Los Angeles. I had never met him nor did I have much idea of what to expect. What we had however was someone who was truly driven in what they wanted to achieve. Probably about a year has passed since then and that drive has not faded – but increased. I’ve now had a few opportunities to work with D.J. and to see our work published both in Australian Iron Man Magazine as well as an upcoming cover and spread in Max Sports & Fitness Magazine.  In this interview I had the opportunity to ask D.J. about his transition into the fitness modeling industry and the launch of his new business.

James Patrick: D.J., you’re fairly new to the industry and actually left a fairly lucrative job to pursue your interests in fitness. What inspired this transition?
D.J. Trudeau: I’m someone who thrives when I’m passionate about something. I love making money but chasing that alone isn’t my passion at all. I just was unfulfilled working 50 hours a week and spending that whole time talking about something I really didn’t care about. I knew what I wanted and have always been a huge risk taker so we made a decision and went all into fitness.

JP: No doubt there was some days that were harder to navigate that others. How did you keep your focus on what you wanted to do or achieve?
D.J.: The hardest part is the very beginning. Being a nobody trying to be a somebody and no one’s going to get you there except yourself. My first thing I tell everyone not just for fitness but life, is you need a goal, then a plan. I always have both of those and have supreme confidence in myself and if someone doesn’t like the way I do things I don’t let it effect what I know is right. So all I see is my goal and my passion is the fuel that pushes me towards it, 24/7.

JP: When you first started what were some of your first goals and how did you work towards those goals?
D.J.: Fitness is very vast and tons of different routes can be taken so you need to be very specific. I have a few specific goals but my main one has always been and is still to be the top cover model. I knew I could make it happen even before I really started transforming my body so I took that faith, put in the work, and connected with photographers like yourself who could at least give me an opportunity to prove what I already knew. Once I achieve that and have the respect and following then we turn it around and help the whole world get fit. My passion is conquering huge personal goals and then showing people how to do it for themselves.

JP: What were some of the core things you did to market yourself and your brand?
D.J.: Here’s the thing, I’m great at fitness and people but I’m a terrible marketer, haha! I basically just used Facebook and connected with the right people. I think the most important thing is make the right connections and be the guy that people respect, not just from looks but what’s most important is who you are.

JP: Over the past year, how have your goals and directions for what you were trying to do change?
D.J.: They really haven’t. I knew it would take some time to reach them so I still have the same goals, just way closer now.

JP: You recently launched your own fitness company, Trudeau Fitness. Can you share a little about what that is and how it is unique and different?
D.J.: Absolutely, my main thing is not fitness, it’s creating an amazing and happy life. In order to do that you need your temple (body/health) to be firing on all cylinders from a looks and health standpoint. So what we do is set whatever goal the client wants, I put together a plan for their whole all around life that they can follow and I walk them through it step by step. It’s amazing the transformations and lives I’ve see completely changed; amazing.

JP: Now that you are about a year into the industry, where are you putting your energy now? What upcoming goals do you have?
DJ: My life has never been so great. Every single day seems like a dream. I really never knew this was possible. So I’m enjoying the moment each and every day. With that said my goal is to inspire the world and build a legacy that will be remembered for a long long time, and teach my son how to be great in life.

Special thanks to D.J. for this interview and stay tuned for our upcoming cover and spread in Max Sports & Fitness Magazine!

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com

I spend a lot of time writing about and talking about how to market oneself. I discuss targeting clients, how to craft the appropriate marketing materials and what are some of the best methods in which to pitch oneself.

This morning I woke up to two (not one, but two) rejection letters. The “we like your work, but we don’t have anything to hire you for” and “you have an impressive background and resume, but I don’t think we can use you right now.” If I am being honest, I had a third yesterday.

Anyone that has pitched themselves or what they do has received similar notices. Or (more often) they don’t get a response at all.

It can be deflating. It can be defeating. It can be destructive.

So how can someone navigate rejection?

1. Get used to the idea of the word “No”
It would be utopian if every time we did something, sent something out, applied for something, auditioned, etc that we were accepted. But it is just not possible. You can’t win everything. When I worked in professional service marketing we tried to get our win percentage for the proposal we sent out to between 30% an 40%. That is not even half. On a bad month, we sometimes dipped to 10%. Sometimes less. The bottom line – it will happen. And it may happen more often than not.

2. Try to figure out the why
Is it a “No” forever or a “No” for now? Usually it is the latter. It is not the right pitch for this specific project. It is not the right look for this one shoot. It is not the right price for this one budget. It was not the right approach for this one scope. However, was there something you could have done different or better on your end? How can you take this rejection, learn from it and improve your next submission (whether it was an application, audition, etc)? What lessons can you learn from it?

3. Stay in touch
Following up on the above comment; chances are it is just a “No for now.” So many projects are done based off relationships. You apply for something, a competitor has a better relationship with the client, who is going to get the job? Use it as an opportunity to build a new relationship. If you are very seriously about doing work with this client – it is your opportunity to show that commitment. I’ve written before about a magazine client I have that it took more than 5 years before they ever gave me a project. I didn’t bother them weekly. But I made sure to stay in touch. Another way to think about it (since we are now in baseball season) is that you let them know that you are still on deck or that you are staying warmed up in the bullpen. When they are ready to call you into the game – you’re ready to play!

4. Focus on the projects you do have
A few years ago I was feeling very deflated on a project which I did not win. Another photographer either had a better approach, a better price or a better relationship. Whatever the case; I did not get the project. I was venting about it over lunch with my mentor who then told me “years from now when you look back on your career, you will not remember the projects you did not get, you will remember and relish in the projects you did get, the things you did do, the opportunities you did have.” So I received three rejection letters in the past two days. However today I have a great opportunity to photograph this exciting magazine cover and spread. Guess where I will be putting my energy today?

A few resources to keep you inspired, informed and entertained

We just launched a new episode of TheProExposure is now available to listen to. In our 24th episode we answer a series of questions which listeners have sent us.

I just launched my fourth installment of Year of the Shot and am accepting applications for the upcoming creative shoots!

Thanks sincerely

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com

Suppose for a moment that you were seeking to hire someone for the exact same service that you personally provide.

You could be a model seeking to hire a model, a photographer looking to book a photographer, a graphic designer wanting to hire a graphic designer and so on. You get the point.

Now, I want you to take it a step further.

Put all personal bias aside. Knowing you, and how you run your business – would you hire yourself against the competition? If you were the one who was in charge of the hiring process – why would you choose yourself? Or would you even choose yourself?

Are there better service providers out there?

Looking at your business through the lens of those who are in charge of hiring can be quite revealing. (And yes I intended that photography pun!)

Where do you stand to improve to increase your probability of being hired?

I am curious if the habitual no-show model would book themselves knowing the risk that they might not show up. What about the slow photographer who would have to wait for months of excuses before they receive the images they paid for? How about the graphic designer who hired themselves and did not pay attention to their needs as a client?

The point of the exercise is this… if you are unable to hire yourself, who is?

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com
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There are those who create noise. They challenge the status quo of the industry they are in. They focus on their passions. dedicating their energy to taking risks and constantly pushing the limits of their vision and abilities. Although they may pause here and there to briefly enjoy their success as it comes, they never dwell for too long before they set out again to make even more noise. They don’t worry about upsetting others who try to stand in their way or slow them down. They focus solely on their craft.

Alternatively you have those who merely spend their time making echos. An echo, while still a sound, is not true noise. It is only a repetition. They only follow in other’s footsteps – repeating only what they see. They attempt to seek out and follow road maps in their career and live exclusively in the world of the status quo. Those who echo may never truly know the rush of taking a risk or attempting to create something new or something that may fail.

So is what you are doing right now an effort to create noise? Or are you reverberating an echo? Those who make true noise are disruptive, sometimes pleasant, sometimes jarring, but always attention grabbing.

James Patrick
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
www.jamespatrick.com

My friend Nick films and directs and wide range of commercial and personal video projects and has been doing so for many years. He does this because, truthfully, he has no other choice. His brain is overly congested with creative concepts and ideas and he needs to get them out onto the canvas of motion imagery.

By continuously doing work that he is truly passionate about he is able to satisfy his intrinsic motivators. As a result he just so happens to also receive a lot of extrinsic rewards in the form of people commenting on Facebook to congratulate him on his latest projects, recognition from his colleagues and a bookcase filled with awards.

Yet if you ever met Nick you would know that he does not do his work for the Facebook comments, the recognition or the awards. Certainly he appreciates them – but they do not drive his creative energy and desire to continue to develop new projects.

Another friend of mine Angela is a fantastic artist. As she grows her photography business she also pushes herself to learn and develop in video, graphic design and has become an avid decorator of her home. She shares her work through her social media channels generating a large buzz of positive response.

However, like Nick, Angela does not do her work simply to get praise from her social media following. She does it because she has to do it. She has to do it because she loves to do it. There is no other choice.

The alternative rests in those when operate solely for the applause. The photographer who cares more about being known as a photographer instead of focusing on their art. The model who wants people to known them as a beautiful talent, but not actually have to do any work. The online “magazine” owner who has no real interest in publishing but dreams of someday being Hugh Hefner. The solo-preneur who cares more about how many “Likes” they get on a Facebook post rather than how many true connections they are able to make.

The danger with the latter is that is cheapens the work that could possibly be done. The photographer will never truly test themselves or push to create something new, exciting and dramatic. The model will continue to placate themselves to an audience of people who cannot actually help their career. The online “magazine” will eventually close its doors, as there is no ad revenue – or even a readership. And the solo-preneur will eventually realize that the massive bank of “Likes” they solely focused on accumulating never actually converted into dollars.

Our choice is quite simple. Dedicate ourselves to things that we are endlessly passionate about – or take the easier road where we only focus on the recognition for what we do. Which path will you be taking?

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com