PART6 / FAITHsomething new, something that is different? Talent and drive for
sure, but the glue that holds it all together, the gas that keeps it
going, is the belief that what is being created will eventually serve
an intended purpose. It is the conviction that what is being devel-
oped will ultimately meet the goal of its creator. This belief, this
conviction with no evidence behind it, is faith.
Whether you are currently focused on developing a new
business, repositioning your talent, or seeking a different visual
direction, during the process of taking the steps needed to
achieve your goal, you will need to hold onto the belief that you
will be successful.
In the beginning of any endeavor this is easy. You are excited
and the newness of everything propels you forward. But over
time as the novelty wears off and you hit a few roadblocks, your
commitment may begin to crumble. You may find yourself less
motivated to accomplish tasks that just a few months ago were
easy to complete. You may even see yourself making excuses for
not doing the simple tasks that you need to perform in order to
continue the trek. It is at this juncture that you need to call in
some help. In order to get your momentum moving you will
need to call on a power greater than your intellect or your guilt.
You need something that is bigger than you. Something that will
help you to move forward even when you are weary and tired and
wondering how this is all going to work. The team player you
need is your faith. It is the single quality that will enable you to
move forward.
Consultant Leslie Burns cites faith as the reason that she
has chosen to be of help to photographers.
“Faith is a very significant part of why I do what I do,” Burns
says. She explains the role of faith:I feel compelled to help people. I want to help others
who are struggling to see, to be successful. Sometimes
that means, quite literally, telling clients to have faith in
themselves, in their gifts, and in their clients.
It’s easy to believe that business has to be something
hard and competitive—we see that image in the media
often—but I try to show my clients that not only is that
not necessarily the case, but that often the more suc-
cessful businesses outright reject a negative point ofChapter 35.qxd 6/27/07 9:07 PM Page 212