Procrastination Situation! Let's get out of our own way PEOPLE!

If you've watched the CrewCast from 7.29.20 then you know all too well how my operation is running when it comes to the images on my website. It's mired in excuses and has been the last thing on my list to touch for the past umpteen years.

Well, it's time to change that right now. I'm hitting the procrastination dead on and hammering that bitch. With crew accountability, I'll get it done. Actually, it's usually how I push myself to do anything. If you announce something publicly and you are a success-driven individual then you will rarely fail at GSD'ing it.

Of course, be careful not to go out on any limbs if you do care what others think and haven't already conjured up the plan for completion. I already decided before yesterday that I was going to rock my site next week. So, letting the crew know about it was as much about me as it was about firing you guys up to do something yourselves that maybe you've been holding back on. Letting the cat out of the bag has also fixed the idea in my mind so there's no possible excuse for me not to do it now. The bridges are burned and I don't play lightly with this stuff. 

I happen to hold an extremely high value to the crew due to the fact that we are immersed in an AFZ, so I love being accountable to you guys. Absolutely love it, so if accountability is the serum that greases the wheels of motion for me then I'm going to milk that sucker for all it's worth and maybe you should give it a shot too.

Anyone feeling hung up on anything they want to put out there for crew support and possibly a little nudge in the right direction? Post below and my hope is that it becomes an ongoing conversation.

I'm also working on a concept that fires me up and it came from the expression, Hang Fire.

What is a Hang Fire?


The title expression "hang fire" (by formal definition) means to do nothing, to delay, wait, hold back, or hesitate. The phrase originally denoted the instance when a gun, using an antique type of ignition such as percussion cap, or flintlock, would fail or markedly delay to fire when the trigger was pulled.

So what's the antidote?

And yes, I'm making this up. For me, it's a SHABANG Fire!

Which I would define as a goal or want that completely consumes you to the point that it's lit an inferno under you and the only way to extinguish it would be to bring it to fruition in your life. Yes, you need a terribly uncomfortable scorching blaze directly under your ass that is burning the crap outta you so that nothing would take more precedence in your life than dousing those flames through accomplishment. Nothing.

How you find something that takes that kind of precedence in your life is another topic that I'm sure we can delve into as well. 

52 Comments

Let's announce Headshot Mania 3!

I attended Wrestlemania 3 in person and that was the biggest Wrestlemania ever. So naturally I have to be at Headshotmania 3!

I so agree with you Peter, we can be our own worst enemy! Time is something we are not given freely, but it is something we should cherish more and use effectively toward the goals & accomplishments. Focus is my issue, where I can be so focused that you do not realize it is 1:30 am and forgot dinner or where you just can't get started. Now stated publicly " GSD'ing" is my goal!!

By when Peter? My website update will be up by Aug 8.

Without a stake in the ground or a date its just a dream.

That's never been a concern, it's the slapping of the first new one up there that will open the floodgates. I don't know how deep I'll be going with a 10-year backlog. Fired up to start next week.

I think more importantly I've taken my portfolio for granted and it has to be constantly updated. That's the plan moving forward.

1 pic a month then it's never a concern.

Best way to do it is head on. Even if it's just a few minutes as the first activity you do each day until it's done. After so long you will just get sick of it and knock that sucker out.

Just tell Lauren Lieberman that you plan to get something done by a certain date .... ?

I have been on a quest for Associate for over a year now. Finally got a step closer yesterday (thanks). Over months my feedback from Peter and others has slowly gone from needs lots of improvement to close to Shabaang. I’m still going for that Shabaang with every photo. And my improvements translate to real life, I am now known as one of the best headshot photographers in my area by our photographers community. Thank you Peter and the HSC

Love this, so uplifting! Congrats!
And I relate, Ivan was nice to me - when Hurley saw one of my images (that I thought was really good) - it got butchered. I am happy for you Sanjeev, you are so close!

To learn DaVinci Resolve and start offering slate shots that meet HSC standards.
Yet another client asked me for this last week and it got me moving.

1. New mac mini ordered. Hat tip to crewperks for the 7% discount.
2. Mic and pre-amp mixer board in hand. Still need a boom, tho.
3. 3D LUTS subscription renewed (gotta match those colours).
4. Putting together final list for other bits. I'm stuck at the TB3 hub ... need more research. Ditto for eGPU.
5. Then line up selected past customers to practice, set a price and get samples on my site as a new offering.

I want this streamlined and on the market by Dec 2020.

Sounds cool. I've heard great things about DaVinci Resolve.

Mac Mini is an amazing value but when you get the Mac Mini please test it out quickly with regard to computing power for editing video, especially 4k. DaVinci has a great reputation for being as efficient as they come, but the Mac Mini does not have a discrete GPU, it uses the integrated GPU in the CPU processor. This is generally not a problem at all for editing photographs but it can be a problem for editing video depending on how aggressively you apply features like digital stabilization. Basically just test out your planned workflow at its most aggressive.

I follow a channel on YouTube called "Max Tech" and he tests out these things in great detail (and he presents results quickly and concisely).

Cool, thanks for this. I’m consuming lots of data about eGPUs. Early reports on the 2020 mini is they don’t play well with some Radeons.

I’ve got the external cooling solved, but am currently going in circles about the new monitor. I’ve pretty much excluded BenQ - just too many reviews talking about calibration issues (and downright failures).

Thank you for this crew-cast from yesterday I just watched the replay.
I'm out of making excuses for myself and need to get those 15 images in my portfolio. I just feel that their not good enough and I delete my oldest ones every time I put a new one in. It means the pictures do get better but I need that shabang to build off. I always start my morning doing the hardest stuff what I procasinate if I don't do it first in the morning. Setting daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals gets me going. I wouldn't be no where without you guys! Cheers

Awesome Menno! I'm pumped to see your stuff when you are ready.

The crew cast yesterday on procrastination was very helpful. One thing that really helped me get a lot of S done was 10,000 headshots. I literally had to accomplish a ton of goals in a short period of time in order to be successful. So, the deadline of 10,000 headshots really pushed me. Now that it’s over, I have to set my own deadlines for my own goals. I’m going to take the adrenaline rush from 10,000 headshots and apply it to my own goals and stop procrastinating. It’s definitely an accountability situation.

Love it!
Motivation to start those projects starts with the first step. It's like a domino effect.
Action -- } inspiration ---} motivation ---} action ...

Action is what it’s all about!

Of course, me being me, I'll get around to watching the replay someday. It was the perfect topic, really in line with the Thinking Into Results (TIR) work I am doing. I got more done yesterday and this morning that I would have without the push from the Zoom.

I am a terrible procrastinator, have been all my life. Now without the structure of going to an office everyday, it's even worse. I plan to eat a lot of frogs as Mikala suggested yesterday, setting aside at least 4 hours every morning to sit at my desk and get shit done, eating the biggest frog first. The first frog is my marketing. I know it sounds kinda vague, but if I chain myself to my desk every morning, I will find marketing tasks to work on and complete.

I renewed my spirit at the 10,000 event. I did good work there and it made me proud. I now have a decent portfolio and I am going to be an associate by this time next year. I scoured my Facebook friends list and started begging to get people in front of my camera. That's a hell of a leap for an introvert. Purchased a MacBook Pro an hour ago and I'm getting this done. Can't wait !

Nice! Can we up it to 6 months?

This is good stuff. I’ll sign up for this too: associate in 6 months is the goal.

Yes I can! Thank you for the confidence boost, and for the time you all spend helping us.

I have two, or three, depending on how you count them, big goals.

The first one (or two) is updating my two websites. I've had them for a long time, and they're a few generations behind the latest technology. So I'm upgrading them both to the newest platform. They should look much more modern, have better functionality, and better SEO when I'm done.

My goal is to have both sites finished by August 15th.

When I have completed that, I will post about my next big goal.

I made my first two goals!! I've posted about them here:

https://headshotcrew.com/post/274834

I think you lit a pretty hot fire under me yesterday. Thanks to Robert Reade, I've already taken steps to replace the gallery I took down. Thanks to you for the flame.

My Goals for Aug:
#1 Get the website up and running
#2 Get a couple of high paying clients
#3 Repeat number 2

My goal was Headshot Crew Associate before 50 but now i'm going to have to adjust my goal to Headshot Crew Associate before 10/1.

"Yes, you need a terribly uncomfortable scorching blaze directly under your ass that is burning the crap outta you so that nothing would take more precedence in your life than dousing those flames through accomplishment" - I feel the heat!

Is this the same Izabel that’s afraid to enter headshot of the week?

Hey she entered in Headshot of the Month this month. Way to go!

Peter thanks for the love! I can take mr. High End Hotshot making fun of me :) After all, we are all on the same team and I know Jon (at the end of the day) is in my corner.

Jon Meadows I am not afraid, I just feel like vomiting when I do it :) Take note that I still do it and I want the full, raw, nothing is being held back honest critique. However lots of people in this crew are sharing their perspectives on Facebook and I think it will help me take the edge off. I say feel the discomfort and do it anyway, but if I can get rid of the discomfort when submitting - I will do exactly that.

My Thinking Into Results (TIR) goal is to be happy and grateful that I am earning $ 200,000 annually in my photography business working four days per week.

An interesting byproduct of Covid sheltering in place is that I realized I do not need to work 5-1/2 days per week. I've was allowing online bookings M-F and part of Saturday. I have blocked Tuesday for golf, skiing or other fun. Some weeks like next week, I have swapped for Monday off to golf with my brother.

Blocking Tuesday is for online scheduling only. If a client wants a Tuesday corporate gig, I can move my day off and cover that as needed.

There is some tension to my main goal and my limited schedule. For example, am I doing what it takes to reach the monetary part if I don't work weekends or Tuesday? The goal includes the four day per week aspect, so I feel it aligns.

Additionally, I like the phrase, "Don't let the inmates run the asylum." In other words, the customer does not dictate how I run my business. Just as in TNT, we don't give discounts for quantity purchases or have a lower price for unretouched images.

I am building my business on my terms and will have the advantages and challenges of setting the limits I desire.

The Procrastination Situation Zoom was great timing for me to get moving faster again.

The “King of Procrastination” in the house. Lol

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