{"id":33536,"date":"2016-11-01T04:04:28","date_gmt":"2016-11-01T11:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?page_id=33536"},"modified":"2016-11-01T04:05:01","modified_gmt":"2016-11-01T11:05:01","slug":"value-not-money","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/value-not-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Make More Value, Not Money"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Oakland,
Oakland, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We all want more money.<\/p>\n

But no matter how much money we have, we always want more.<\/p>\n

I always thought to myself: if I wanted to be happier, I needed to earn more money. But in reality \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the only way I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve become happier is to create more value to others. To be more useful to others.<\/p>\n

Also when it comes to money and wealth, the only way to become richer is to create more value for others. Because the more value you create for others, the more valuable you become. Then the more valuable your services are. The more valuable your influence. The more valuable your opinions.<\/p>\n

What is more valuable than money?<\/h2>\n
\"SF,
SF, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Be a person of value.<\/p>\n

If you want to earn more money in life, think about how you can be more valuable in life\u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than how you can make more money.<\/p>\n

If you always think about how to make more money \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you get distracted. You think of how to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153optimize\u00e2\u20ac\u009d profits, rather than to add new value. The only way to create new wealth (for everyone) is to create more value. Then by creating surplus value and wealth, you take some of the difference for yourself.<\/p>\n

For example, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say that hypothetically you create $100 of new value in terms of new ideas. Then you charge your customer $50 for that idea. Then your customer will make a $50 profit, because he has only spent $50 on an idea that will earn him $50. And not only that, but you will earn $50 for that idea you created.<\/p>\n

Expand wealth for everyone<\/h2>\n
\"New
New Orleans, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Think to yourself\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How can I create more wealth and value for other people?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

By focusing on others (rather than yourself); you start to really think of how you can be best useful to others.<\/p>\n

The reason why Uber is worth several billions of dollars, is because they have created surplus wealth for billions of people. They have helped empower unemployed (or under-employed) people who had no jobs, not enough money, but had extra cars. They also empowered other people who never could afford to take taxis, but can now afford to take Uber. And they have empowered individuals to no longer own cars, which means more money for them to invest in other things.<\/p>\n

I feel the ultimate currency for the future is in ideas. Create ideas that can will help create value for others. Create ideas that will help the lives of others. Create ideas that will empower others.<\/p>\n

How to create value (even more) value for others<\/h2>\n
\"Berkeley,
Berkeley, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We all want to create more value for others\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but easier said than done.<\/p>\n

How can we add more value to others, and to ourselves? Some ideas:<\/p>\n

1. Find what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re frustrated about, and try to help yourself<\/h2>\n

When I started street photography, I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find any resources on \u00e2\u20ac\u02dchow\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to shoot street photography, not<\/em> get punched in the face, all while capturing \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcthe decisive moment.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

The passion for this blog started as a way to teach myself. And I still consider myself a student. I just share what I learn.<\/p>\n

What do you want to learn, but you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t find any resources on? That is your opportunity.<\/p>\n

2. Start from scratch<\/h2>\n

A lesson I learned from Elon Musk is to come up with new ideas from \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfirst principles.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Meaning, start off by coming up with new ideas from scratch. Rather than seeing what others have done before you, you need to start with a blank slate.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t simply copy or mimic other successful people. You need to find the truth yourself.<\/p>\n

You can only do this through experimentation, trial and error, getting feedback, and constantly innovating and new \u00e2\u20ac\u0153iterations.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d You need to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfail forward\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to have the risk to try something that nobody has done before.<\/p>\n

With a photo project, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look how others have done it before. Sit down, and think to yourself\u00e2\u20ac\u201d how would you do it in today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world? How would you think for yourself?<\/p>\n

3. What is useful?<\/h2>\n

Lastly, if you want to create value for others\u00e2\u20ac\u201d think of what is useful. Theory is nice, but practicality, utility, and \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcusefulness\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 trumps everything.<\/p>\n

You need to create ideas, products, or information that will actually help others. You need to help empower others become the best versions of themselves. You need to make people less miserable, less anxious, more innovative, more excited, and more informed.<\/p>\n

Think to yourself: will this be useful to others? And you can start off by thinking: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Would this be useful to me?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Be a person of value<\/h2>\n
\"Hong
Hong Kong, 2013<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When in doubt, try to create more value for others. Start off by trying to help yourself \u00e2\u20ac\u201d create what you want to see in the world. What do you lack in your life? That is probably what others lack in their life.<\/p>\n

First seek to add value to yourself to come up with ideas, and then figure out how you can add value to others.<\/p>\n

Create surplus value for everyone, and you will become wealthy \u00e2\u20ac\u201d in terms of your ideas, motivation, and also financial wealth.<\/p>\n

You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re valuable \u00e2\u20ac\u201d so share that with others.<\/p>\n

Always,
\nEric<\/p>\n

Learn more about Photography Entrepreneurship 101 ><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We all want more money. But no matter how much money we have, we always want more. I always thought to myself: if I wanted to be happier, I needed to earn more money. But in reality \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the only way I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve become happier is to create more value to others. To be more useful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33106,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-33536","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}