I did not make it

So, it's my first time being published in a magazine! I got a full page of the UK publication Landscape Photography Magazine. I'm pretty chuffed with myself.

I'm sure there was a time when I said to myself that "I'll know I've made it when my photo is in a magazine". But I'm far from having "made it". I'm not even sure if many successful pros think they've ever "made it". Oh, yeah, I'm not even successful, yet. I'm still getting my business off the ground and I've got a lot of work to do to get to a stage where my business is self-sustaining. Even if/when it is earning so much money that I can say that I'm maximizing my profits, that the shareholders are happy with my quarterly growth, or that I should invest in Musk's mission to Mars, will I think that I've made it then? Yes, probably. Especially if the last one ever happens. But what I mean to say is, will it ever be enough?

I hope that I will always be trying to better myself. Not just in a financial sense, but in a more meaningful personal way, too. And as long as I can put a roof over my head and feed myself, I could be content. It all depends on perspective. I hate this bullshit of, "you can do anything you put your mind to.". It's horseshit. Some people are exceptional in many ways. I'm not one of them. I'm pretty good at a few things, and I'm okay with that. Can I get better? Most certainly. Could I get so good that I'm financially secure for the rest of my life? Well, with a LOT of hard work, perseverance, and a bit of luck, maybe, yes. Will I be a goalkeeper for Man United when I turn 35? Nope! I could bearly make it onto my local under-16 Gaelic Football team! How would I make a professional soccer team? It's actually impossible.

So, I'm happy with my little achievement. If I'm being honest, though, I'm not a big fan of this photo. I think it needs some work. When I submitted this photo about five months ago, this was one of my best shots. Now it's not in my portfolio. But isn't that great? That I'm able to recognize that, is a testament to the gains I've made through hard work. This is not innate talent. I sucked big-time when I started. I've learned all I know now through constant trial and error. No doubt I'll look back at my best work today and wonder "what was I thinking?". Nothing is permanent. And accepting that fact is incredibly liberating.

Thanks for reading this long-winded low-key humble-brag.