It was several weeks ago. I had the pleasure of photographing another local photographer and her family. As we chatted on our way back to the parking lot following our shoot, she and her husband commented on how well presented everything was with my brand. They mentioned the brochure they received and the branding of my business as a whole. As much as my heart swelled and my cheeks turned red from blushing and how amazingly wonderful it was to hear their compliments, I had to stop myself. I had to make sure they knew, especially her, how long it took me to get to that point. How many things I did wrong first, only to get it right eventually.

You see, us creatives and artists are a sensitive people. I remember in my beginning days how easy it was to watch what everyone else was doing. How far they had come and all the big things they were accomplishing. I was always comparing my beginning to someone’s middle and I would always beat myself up about it. I remember seeing a few rise to the big leagues what seemed like overnight. However, that is usually not the norm. Owning and building a business takes time, perseverance and a hell of a lot of patience. When everyone around you tells you it’s taking too long or you’ll never make it, that’s when you have to dig in the hardest. That’s when you need a laser-like intense focus on what you want and what you want to create, not only in your work, but your life.

Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh only sold one painting during his entire lifetime and that was to a friend? He continued to paint and by the time he died he had completed over 800 works of art. One of them is valued at $142 million today. Walt Disney was turned down over 300 times in trying to finance Disneyland. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and he didn’t read until he was seven. He became a Nobel Prize winner.

So what something may seem like on the outside doesn’t always tell the entire story. And just as it may seem to come easy for some, remember that there was a whole process to get there. A lot of blood, sweat, tears and sleepless nights, but you know what? It’s thrilling. It’s thrilling to look back on your beginning days and see the growth, see the improvement and the mistakes made. I’m still growing and learning, but looking back on the past seven years I have to smile. I have to smile and be proud of the accomplishments along with those darn mistakes. Because those mistakes? They are part of the story. They are what help refine us as artists and business owners. Wear them as war wounds and wear them with pride. Smile fondly knowing that you have come as far as you have and know that you are not alone.