During what is likely the most tumultuous global period in our lifetime, it's easy to become jaded, frustrated, and feel as if you have lost your way. The question is, why that happens, how do you pull yourself out of that rut before it does real damage?
I speak to multiple professionals in this industry every single day, so while I haven't done the necessary leg work to make any sweeping generalizations about photographers and creatives, I can see a trend — a trend I am a part of, too. The global pandemic and various lockdowns have taken their toll on us creative folk. We feel less motivated and less inspired. My lack of traveling and the rules that prohibited my photography for the best part of a year, meant I had to change my focus a little. I had to do more supplementary work without a camera in my hands, and I had to do photography work within my own little studio.
The change had some upsides, but generally, my mood, my motivation, and my inspiration shriveled. After a few months, I noticed the problem wasn't going away. In fact, it was getting worse. I knew I had to make a change or risk my businesses, so I worked on a number of ways to keep myself energized. Those included listening to business audiobooks while going for a run, seeking inspiration, forcing myself to write more, goal setting, and so on. However, this video by Pat Kay raises some nice concepts.
It's a quiet, introspective video, discussing things most of us would have experienced, particularly in the last year or so, and how he recalibrated himself with the question of why he does what he does.
Or, as Nietzsche wrote, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." Good for when you find your way.