Recently I picked back up with work as a professional photo reviewer. In a single day, I may do a quick scan through dozens of portfolios (hand-selecting which ones to add to the top of my queue) and read the most pressing questions photographers are asking about their work. Some topics are so repetitive that I realize there is a lack of accessible resources in those areas. Many questions have universal answers and others, none at all.
This morning I’ve paid attention to how often I’ve read, “is my work good enough?” That’s one of those questions we can all relate to in several aspects of life– successful enough, beautiful enough, rich enough, talented enough, nice enough, smart enough, fit enough.
When you leave the question hanging, it becomes impossible to answer. Enough for whom, or what? That depends on your own self-confidence and an internalized sense of satisfaction. During a conversation with a behavioral analyst, she described positive reinforcements as a coming from either external or internal sources. Acting from internal positive reinforcements is a form of empowerment. Otherwise, we are simply reacting to what the world around us describes as favorable.
Setting tangible goals for yourself will help you get closer to your greater vision (the workings of an entirely different blog post). In short, you are never going to be successful if you don’t clearly define what that means to you. Is it a set of physical manifestations such as a car, house, travel budget, or does it revolve more around the quality of time, relationships and experiences in your life? Being honest with yourself will free you from much angst!
When we ask, “am I enough,” it also tells of a lack of self-confidence. It’s natural to desire validation from others, but don’t let that be a crutch to stand on. The world is not always going to open a door and tell you the party is ready for your grand entrance. You may have to follow the music and go knocking around on a few doors.
Introspection is important, as is stepping outside of your bubble to take a look at what is going on in the world around you. Seeking validation is merely asking someone else to do that work for you. It may provide a shortcut and a boost of confidence, but know that you are also capable.
Lastly, ask how many times have you held yourself back? I can remember closing the door on an opportunity to host a video series. I told the producer that my figure was not flattering enough for the camera. Low self-esteem was my true hurdle. Pay attention when you complete a negative statement with “because…”. Quite often you’ll find it seeded with false assumptions. Instead of telling yourself why you cannot do something, try to rephrase your mindset to figure out how you can.
—–
The next time self-doubt creeps in and you wonder if you are good enough (hint, we’ve all been there before and we’ll be there again), try to look at your situation through a different set of filters. This topic that could be expanded upon in a thousand different ways. If you have any suggestions or words of advice for future posts, feel free to add them in the comments below.
Leave a Reply