Sacrifices

Okay, I’ve been rather bad about posting lately, and I need to make another podcast. I apologize. I’m swamped with law school stuff…exams start next week…and pretty much everything else in my life is on-hold. 

I did manage to take a brief break yesterday to go to the local APA holiday party. It was nice to see old friends and to see some images again (they do a print exchange every year–great idea). Next week the local ASMP is having their party and I hope to poke my head in there as well, but it is the night before an 8am exam (Contracts, no less), so it’s not a for-sure thing.

That’s one of the big sacrifices I’ve had to make to go to law school–I can’t socialize as much as I would like, even when that socialization is work-related (the other big sacrifice is not working with clients–that means practically no income). However, in the long term these sacrifices will be worth it. I will be able to offer my clients legal services as well as the marketing services.

Sometimes you have to make short term sacrifices in order to make a better future life. This is true for your businesses as well. Spending money on marketing, for example, will have a long term payoff. Investing in your business may mean less cash for you personally now, but a stronger business for the long term. 

I noticed last night when I was at the party that the photographers who were struggling the least during this downturn were those who had decided (a while back) that they were businesspeople first, photographers second. This helped keep their heads in long term thinking mode and now, when things are hard, those efforts are paying off. 

It’s never too late to reframe yourself that way–businessperson first.

Sure, it may be a short term sacrifice, but it will have a long term payoff.