Say it, Show it, Do it

I recently moved back to Menlo Park and the rent here seemed ridiculously expensive compared to San Jose. In order to make ends meet, I decided on a side job for the extra cash. As I was trying to figure out what I should do and the kind of things people would pay to receive, I came up with photography, art, writing and creating collages for inner healing.

Now, in order to keep the momentum going, I am sharing what I have learned to help you get motivated and help your ideas come into fruition. 

For those who know me, you understand my relationship with my mother. Under her orders and control, I was the daughter who matters not, was used well and spat on.  Growing up, I had little self-esteem and was constantly striving to win her affection by showing her I was more capable than she thought.

Today, I am still trying to prove myself to her. My mother only sees value when there is a dollar sign in front of it.  I will not be of value to her until she sees me with lots of money. Until that happens, I will focus on my own passion and make money doing the things I enjoy in life. My number one passion is God, and all things beautiful are from God. Your creativity is from God and the desire to produce is from God.

This month, I am focusing on photography and getting my children stories published. (I have a few other top secret projects, but will announce those later.)  

The only way to make people take you seriously is by taking yourself seriously. Success has its own rules, you just do it. 

I have learned that there are three steps in making your dreams visible:

1. Say it: Every time you meet someone new, introduce yourself as the person you want to be. For example, “I am a photographer, I am a writer, I am an artist.” Don’t say, “Well, I want to be a photographer and I work at Safeway while I try to build a name for myself.”  
2. Show it: Put your tag in your emails, business cards.  I currently have my tag at the end of every email as: Linh Dang {Photographer, Artist, Writer}
3.  Do it: Schedule the time in your calendar every day like it’s a date with a friend. If you want to be a writer, make the time to write, join a group of writers or start your own writing group. If it’s not in your calendar, then it’s not real. Get your business cards made and go network. Tell people about your business and who you are. You can get quality business cards for less than two cups of coffee. I use www.vistaprint.com - 250 cards for $10.

Try this for one month. I can guarantee that you will walk, talk and think like the dream person you want to be.

"Hi, my name is Linh Dang. I am a photographer and soon to be a published author."  ::wink::

Written by Linh Dang
Photographer, Artist, Writer

Founder of FreedomCollage
DangGoodPhotography.com
Lestienne.blogspot.com