{"id":30708,"date":"2016-11-05T06:00:21","date_gmt":"2016-11-05T13:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=30708"},"modified":"2016-11-06T16:27:55","modified_gmt":"2016-11-07T00:27:55","slug":"how-to-find-your-calling-in-photography-and-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/11\/05\/how-to-find-your-calling-in-photography-and-life\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Your Calling"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

What is your calling?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What is the purpose you were put here on earth? What is the one thing that only you could do\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that nobody could do quite like you?<\/p>\n

To focus on your calling, you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be distracted. The fewer things you do, the more focus you will have in your important life\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work.<\/p>\n

In today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s world, we are always taught to do more \u00e2\u20ac\u201d rather than to do less<\/em>.<\/p>\n

How could you do less<\/em> in your life of the petty things that can go undone. What are the small things that you can put aside? And how can you have more<\/em> time, energy, and attention to focus on what is truly important to you?<\/p>\n

The one activity<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am ambitious. I want to do a million things.<\/p>\n

But what is the one thing that I do that contributes the most value to others?<\/p>\n

Blogging.<\/p>\n

It seems that everything that I do besides<\/em> blogging tends to distract me.<\/p>\n

The blog is the lifeblood of what I do. The blog allows me to write, meditate, research, share ideas, information, videos, and educational materials that I hope can empower others.<\/p>\n

I often get distracted by social media. I forget that social media are just branches and leaves of the tree. But the blog is the trunk of the tree. All of the branches lead back to the foundation.<\/p>\n

Other contributions you can make<\/h2>\n

What is the one biggest contribution that you make to society?<\/p>\n

Is that being a loving parent? Is it being a loving sibling? A productive photographer? A spirited writer? A community member that empowers other local people?<\/p>\n

What do you want to improve most in photography?<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When it comes to your photography, what is your #1 strength? What do you want to focus on improving?<\/p>\n

Do you want to focus in black and white, or color? Do you want to focus on portraits, or candid photos? What singular vision or focus do you have in your work? What is the one unique stamp on your work that makes your work stand out from others?<\/p>\n

The human brain is limited. We can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t multi-task. The more we try to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153diversify\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in what we do \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the weaker our focus and laser.<\/p>\n

What is our main style of photography? How does our photography bring us the biggest joy? Is it sharing images with others? Is it teaching photography? Is it improving your photography, improving your printing skills, or your editing skills?<\/p>\n

What social purpose does your photography have, and how can you use your photography to empower others?<\/p>\n

How to find your calling<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everyone knows that they need to follow their calling in life, but a lot of us don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what our \u00e2\u20ac\u0153calling\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is.<\/p>\n

For some of us it is teaching, others it is managing, others it is creating art, others it is sharing love with others.<\/p>\n

My suggestion: think about what you did a lot as a child for fun<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d or what you did for fun in adolescence, your early teens, and even in college. What gave you the biggest sense of satisfaction, and contribution to others?<\/p>\n

When are you the happiest? When do you feel the most joy? When do you feel your human potential pouring from your bones, blood, and veins?<\/p>\n

Often your close friends and family knows what your biggest strengths are. Ask them. Probe them.<\/p>\n

Or ask yourself, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If I only had one month left to live, how would I spend all of my time, efforts, and energy?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

If you still don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know the answer, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stop searching. Keep trying to find what your passion is. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t settle. For some people it takes decades to find what their true calling is. But the secret is to never give up.<\/p>\n

If you feel like you know what your calling is, everyday contribute a 1% increase or improvement. If we stop growing, we start dying.<\/p>\n

Push yourself hard\u00e2\u20ac\u201d not to harm yourself, but to know that your life is short, limited\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and there are so many others you can help out there.<\/p>\n

I believe in you friend, be strong, always be confident in yourself, and create the work you were designed to do.<\/p>\n

Always,
\nEric<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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