Committed

In whatever we may choose to do, we need to be willing to give a full commitment in order to bring in effective results. Half-hearted attempts never bring in the results we desire – instead we end up wasting our time and end up with mediocre results. It would be better to not even begin than to give half an effort. Perfection isn’t required, or feasible, but a genuine effort yields the best possible results.

Not only do half-hearted efforts bring is inefficient results, but we lose a sense of self-respect when we know we’re not particularly invested. Nobody appreciates half-hearted efforts because it shows that you don’t care. What’s most dangerous about a lack of commitment is that it may easily become a lifestyle without even knowing it’s happened.

When I was teaching English, it was just a means for me to live in a foreign country and enjoy an international experience. The teaching contracts were temporary and I wasn’t truly invested. It was simply just work I was putting up with – work I didn’t have my heart involved in. It was safe to say that I wasn’t a great teacher. It’s not that I couldn’t be a great teacher. If I were to teach cultural studies, photography, or something I genuinely cared about, I would have my heart into it, and would do the most I could to teach effectively. However, as useful as English is, I just didn’t want to commit 8 or 9 hours a day to teaching it.

Even though I didn’t fully enjoy teaching English, I still wanted to be as professional as possible and do my job. However, I wasn’t that effective simply because you can put on the “professional face” but without any heart, the passion fades and it simply becomes a mechanical process. After about four years of teaching English, I didn’t realize that I was making a lifestyle out of being half-hearted. Finally, the deeper, inner me finally protested and I burned out. Probably one of the more stressful moments in my life as I felt like I was losing direction.

However, I needed to “lose that direction” because it wasn’t a direction at all. It was just a convenient way to earn money and live “safely.” However, the inner depths of ourselves know better and demand more. Some people are able to suppress their true interests and desires for quite some time. Others, such as myself, can’t suppress the soul long without a big protest - a demand to live life in accordance with integrity.

I jumped immediately into photography full-time, which was just as scary as it was exciting. I left teaching English at the worst time for photography business: the wintertime. However, with the encouragement of my family and with many prayers, God made it work out and the work kept coming in. I’m so grateful to be doing something I love and have passion for.

Doing the “extra work” and going the “extra mile” for clients doesn’t add any pressure on me. I love what I do and I love giving people photography that exceeds their expectations, whether it’s in the quantity, quality, or experience that they have during the photo session.

If the passion for money is higher than a passion for life, one will always be looking for more. Check the heart and listen – then commit to what makes you come alive. No amount of money can outweigh the satisfaction of doing what you love and doing it well.

For further related reading, please check out: A Pathway Taken.