Tunnel Vision

I was speaking with Kate the other day about the photo industry. We chatted about the economy and how photographers are dealing with the slow down. Now there are times when it is completely frustrating to talk about the photo business with someone who doesn’t know much about what we do. And other times it can be quite enlightening. Let me explain: I am the type of person who always looks towards the future - the glass is Always half full. I believe in what I do and think I am a good photographer who will someday make it (what ever that means…that’s a discussion for another post). Anyway, I have a vision of where I want to be and how I'm going to get there. The only problem is that I tend to get tunnel vision. And this is where Kate comes in. I rarely look from side to side to see what other options might be out there. I've learned that success is not a straight line. There are detours, road blocks, hazards and forks, all of which need to be thought about, discussed and sometimes taken. We need to see these as opportunities, not as hindrances. I've found that keeping my eyes looking straight only endangers where I am going.
Focusing on the future is a good thing – having tunnel vision while you do it is not. This is the enlightenment you can get from listening to others.