Being On-Purpose

I've delayed writing this post for several days now; although I knew what I was going to write, to do it justice, to write effectively, I had to be in the right mental space. Life can be lived several ways: the first is to exist, careening haphazardly between events, going with the flow, working at a job, going home to a house, and feeling as though something is missing but you're not sure what.

The second way is to live life according to your purpose. I've known for many years that my purpose in life is to create images; doing so makes my heart sing, the same way listening to a great blues musician refills my soul. Moving towards my life's purpose feels good; by the same token, moving away from that purpose feels unimaginably bad. Just the simple act of creating a portrait, capturing an expression, communicating what I see through the visual medium of a photograph sends my endorphins pounding through my head, and I am happy. In that enlightened state of mind, my confidence soars, my creativity feels boundless, and the world is truly my oyster. But how to maintain that?

Being on-purpose is a choice; many times, it is easier to listen to others advice than to listen to your own soul, because the others are louder. Listening to your own soul requires silent contemplation, and faith that you do have a purpose. Sit quietly, and listen to your inner voice. Allow yourself to do something that feels good; it reaffirms your worth to yourself. Act as if you have already become what you dream about. You must first BE the person you want to be, to DO the things you want, before you HAVE what you want. You will be far more successful, and happy, when you are acting according to your life's purpose instead of against it.

For several years, I acted against my life's purpose, believing that once I'd earned enough money, I would be able to pursue my dreams. As well thought out as my plan was, it was complete rubbish, and I descended into the blackest depression I've ever faced. Creativity grows when it is encouraged, and supported; it withers when neglected.

Now that I am working towards my life's purpose again, every day seems fresh and exciting. Some days are fresher than others, but there is no substitute for inspiration.

Effectiveness and Perseverence.

When I look back on my own march towards effectiveness in my photography, I see a number of factors that have traditionally led me astray. While I am a good photographer, and I know this, I am often reluctant to let others know this, and my self-marketing presence goes woefully unnoticed in conversation. This is definitely a focal point of my efforts going forward; I will mention to everyone in conversation that I am indeed one of the finest photographers they've ever met, and would be excited to have them commission me for a portrait. That is step one.

Now for step two. Step two is short for perseverence, which I think is one of the most important skills a photographer needs. It is one thing to be a good photographer, but it is another to get out there photographing when the urge is not upon me. I must now embrace the concept of GOYA, aka Get Off Yer Arse and create. Better to create an average image than to be the best photographer who never takes photos!

Step three. Gratitude. Being grateful for what you have, what has happened, and who you are surrounded with, is more than just happy thoughts. It is critical to staying open to new ideas, to understanding how much we really have been given, and to maintaining peace of mind. How often has something occurred which at the time, seemed irritating, inconvenient or downright bad luck, but ended up being a good thing? I'm going to guess: many. Leaving late for work and driving past an accident that just occurred. Being driven out of a bad job, then finding a much better one. Our perceptions can be so focused and narrow, we sometimes miss the broader picture of what is really happening. And being grateful just keeps us grounded, so that when opportunity presents itself, we don't discount it by saying, "I can't afford that", "I'll never be able to do that", or "That's not the way we do things here".