Punishments And Getting Things Done

Posted on September 27, 2015 by 365 days of marriage

I recently re-stumbled onto a great YouTube channel – FightMediocrity shares summaries of books he’s read in about 5-10 minutes. He did a great one of the 4 Hour Work Week. I can’t remember which video it was…I tend to watch 3-4 at a time and I’ve watched a number of them over the last week or two…anyways. The idea of giving rewards or punishments to help motivation. The example he gave was if you don’t hit your goal, then you have to donate to a charity you don’t like or something like that. I can’t remember if he mentioned positive rewards or not, but it got me thinking…what actually motivates me? It’s super easy to not follow through with a negative result. I just don’t do it. But what if I did positive rewards? It’s no secret I love the Lego video games. A new one just came out today that’s a HUGE Lego game….but with a HUGE price tag. The starter pack for Lego Dimensions is $100.

I started thinking through the goals I have….getting a first draft of my book completed, finishing projects for my clients, working out regularly. From big goals to small goals, I came up with a rough idea of what I would “give myself” if I finished them. I originally thought there’s NO way I’m spending $100 on a game. But through a few conversations with Bret, he encouraged me to read some reviews on it. I just finished some reading and can I just say it sounds like an AMAZING game? So here’s when a funny thing happened. I started thinking about how much I want that game. I started thinking about what I have to do with the first draft of my book. There is actually a part of me that wants to work on it right now and finish it this week.

There are all kinds of positive rewards you can give yourself. Whether it’s an hour in front of the TV, an hour to read a fiction book or a coffee from Dunkin Donuts, it doesn’t matter. It’s about what will make you do the work that you need to do.

What works best for you? Positive or negative outcomes?

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Day 2251 – Four Years Of Being My Own Boss – What Have I Learned?

Posted on September 9, 2015 by 365 days of marriage

I can’t believe I’ve been a full-time freelancer for four years! So what have I learned? Here’s a few thoughts.

You can put a value on your time – I have made lots of choices that ensure I spend my time how I want to. I’ve had to say no a LOT.

You may not make more money – I’ve consistently made the same each year. It’s definitely less than what I made in the 9-5 world but I put a higher value in the intangible items like more time with my husband, flexible work hours and being able to work in my pjs.

You can work in your pjs – I won’t tell you how often I do though…

You have more flexibility in your time – this is actually one of those bittersweet things. Sure, I can choose when to work, how much at a time and all that jazz….but if I put things off, I’ll have to do them later. Not having someone bugging you about what you’re doing can be a bad thing for some people.

You can create a job – One of my BIGGEST career changing moments was when I realized I didn’t have to have a defined job title. I felt lost when I realized photography was ending – what the heck was I going to do? I heard a great webinar about someone who created a brand new job using all of her skills from previous jobs. It was then I realized that I LOVED the business side of things in my business. I now do a hodge podge of jobs for photographers and while I don’t have a “job title” in the normal sense, I love what I do! I think the best description I’ve come up with is – everything I used to do in my business minus taking pictures and editing!

Have you been a full time business owner for four years? Longer? Shorter? What have you learned?

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Day 2244 – The Book That Changed My Business Forever

Posted on September 2, 2015 by 365 days of marriage

The process of deciding to stop photographing was a long one. The thought was in the back of my mind for a little while that maybe this photography thing wouldn’t work…no, the whole time I photographed…any small business owner can tell you that there is a LOT of time of doubting. Anyways, I started reading a book last summer that started my journey towards closing the photography side of my business, The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (affiliate link on Amazon. This means if you purchase the book or anything else on Amazon, I get a small percentage. I only share links to things I’ve used personally and recommend).

I’m rereading this right now and I realized that reading this book was the mind set shift that led to closing my photography business. The biggest thing I realized was that I was putting in 40-60+ hours of work to make the same amount of money I made while only photographing part time. It was crazy how consistent it was year to year. Friends, don’t make your business decisions based on feelings, please please please know your numbers. When I realized this, I stopped putting money into advertising – why spend when I was getting the same amount? By tracking my leads, I also knew that my paid advertising efforts were not bringing new clients. It was one of those “DUHHHH” moments for me. Stop wasting your money and time and spend it focusing on other things.

This realization led me down a road of really digging into “what do I love to do and what am I good at?” I realized I LOVED, adored, danced with joy about the business side of my business. Give me a spreadsheet to fill in and analyze or paperwork to be filed and dealt with and I am one happy camper. That realization led to what I do now – helping photographers with the business side of their business.

Friends, you will go through changes in your business. You will one day wake up and think “what have I done, have I wasted my life?” But you haven’t! You have gained experience and that will help you in your next venture. I never would have gotten the gigs I have right now if I wasn’t a photographer for ten years. I am able to do the things that I love because of walking through what I did the last ten years.

What book changed your life forever? (Doesn’t have to be a business book – any book!)

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Day 2242 – Unveiled Faces by Jennilyn – or – The Worst Business Name Ever

Posted on August 31, 2015 by 365 days of marriage

If you asked me what I regretted about my photography business, it would be the name. Unveiled Faces by Jennilyn does not say what I did. There is NOTHING about photography in there. I can’t tell you how many times I got “Oh! You do makeup?” when I told someone my business name. I did have a good story behind the name though. Unveiled Faces could refer to the veil of a bride. It referred to how people would say “I hate having my picture taken!” and then when they saw a picture I took say “That is the best picture ever taken of me.” We were trying to unveil God’s glory in every client. Something I think we did.

I’ve been struggling with my blog posts recently mostly because I feel like I have a TON to talk about but so little time to talk about it. I have long blog post ideas ranging from what my day looks like now working for other photographers, how I keep multiple clients (and my own personal stuff) straight, my responses to people who think I have it easy, I have ideas on a blog about making choices. Seriously, if I could just plug something into my head and have it spit out on the page, I’d have SO much content.

I was in a bit of the same situation today. It was a FANTASTIC day! My workdays have been getting progressively better and I’m loving that! Bret is back to teaching full time, the world now knows that I’m not longer a photographer (WHAT a weight off my chest! I’m terrible at keeping secrets!) and I’ve figured out the magic number of clients I need and the amount of hours each of them need. I’m getting in the groove of a nice daily schedule/workflow.

Anyways, after this awesome day, I was riding a high of productivity….and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee… To help myself calm down, I did a little journaling and reading scripture. I’m reading through 2 Corinthians right now and today I read the third chapter. My eyes filled with tears when I happened upon this verse:

“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

This was my business verse! I was struck by so many things in that moment but mostly the multi-level meanings. My business name meant so many things and I realized that my business verse had come to mean many things too. I feel that I am being transformed from the business owner I was when I created my business name to someone who is the same but different. So wherever you find yourself in your business or life today, realize that it’s ok if you’re totally different from who you were when you started. This life thing is a journey. How are you being transformed?

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365daysofmarriage

Simplicity in Marriage, Christianity, Travel, Business, Life

Category Archives: Business

Day 2269 – A New Way To Look At Motivation/Rewards/Punishments And Getting Things Done

Day 2251 – Four Years Of Being My Own Boss – What Have I Learned?

Day 2244 – The Book That Changed My Business Forever

Day 2242 – Unveiled Faces by Jennilyn – or – The Worst Business Name Ever

Day 2236 – What’s On My Nightstand…Errr….Floor

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