I am currently reading a book called, "Maximize Your Potential" from the 99U series which was edited by Jocelyn K. Glei and forwarded by Scott Belsky. These tips are pretty simple, but are not always put into action especially when one is in the midst of a situation. Here is the list along with my personal experiences and thoughts.
1. Give yourself permission to screw up.
Many times, especially as a person who is just starting off their career, we want everything that we do to be perfect so that others will want to work with us. However, once we make a mistake, instead of feeling like a failure, allow for yourself to make mistakes. It truly will help you grow for your next opportunity.
Recently, I made a stomach-churning mistake that I am now at peace to talk about. I was hired to work as an event photographer for a company who was promoting a national tour. We discussed price and what needed to be done. The first mistake I made was not knowing enough about the company before I said my price. The second mistake was not writing a contract. I sent the pictures promptly because they needed them before the end of the day and I sent the invoice soon after. However, to this day I have not received compensation. Because I didn't write a contract, I cannot really do anything about what happened. I thought I could trust the people I was working with because they were a company and not just a random person.
Now that I have had such an experience, I know how to talk to someone about what needs to be done, even before I press the shutter.
2. Ask for help when you run into trouble.
Often times, we think we know exactly what we are doing because of the awesome things that we have already accomplished. But even if it is something small like asking for a peer's advice and talking about the hard situations can better prepare us for things to come.
3. Compare your performance today with your performance last week or last year. Do not compare yourself with others.
This is sometimes hard to do when we constantly see our peer's successes in our news feeds. Which is why is very important to understand that everyone has their own journey to take. And often we do not know what another person may actually be going through. I have started to proactively evaluate myself from the day before, last week and last year and it is amazing to see the huge difference and all the good that has happened to get me to where I am today.
4. Think in terms of progress, not perfection.
Words like, improve, learn, progress, develop, grow, and become are all words that not only shape our outlook on life, but give us the peace to know that things will get better. There is no such things as perfect, but there is always growth for a person who is willing.
5. Examine your beliefs and challenge them.
This can truly go for anything. If I truly believed that eating healthy and working out is the best thing I can do for my body, I need to challenge myself to actually put it into action. There is a point in which if no action is taken, then it is just words. I challenge myself and those who are reading to do more than just say something, but actually do it.
What have you learned in the past few months? Comment below!
