Finding Motivation in Unexpected Places

This was an article of mine that was published by Great Escape Publishing in their Breakfast Stock Club Newsletter.

Finding Motivation in Unexpected Places

By Elizabeth Coughlan

I sometimes think procrastination is my middle name. I seem to be busy all and every day, but really have little to show for all my endeavours. I’m always saying, “I must get around to it.", and then go off on a tangent finding other things to do.

No more! I recently had two wake-up calls that have finally spurred me into action. The first was from Lori Allen at Great Escape Publishing, who started a recent newsletter with:

“Dear Elizabeth, Why are you here? Is it freedom you’re after?  Is it creativity?  Is it income?”

And then went on to say, “Some just want a quiet income and a pat on the back every once in a while, from friends who say behind your back: “Elizabeth takes really great photos.”

I gasped, “Oh, no, that’s me all over.”

I’m happy with just making a little something from my stock images, but I could really do much better. While I was mulling this over, I looked at my horoscope for the month. I couldn’t believe what I read. It said:

“This is the perfect time to take stock and figure out where you want to go... Time to realign with your purpose, Elizabeth, and set new energies into motion!”

Now anyone who knows me is aware I am a stock photographer, but the online muse didn’t know, and was obviously referring to something else.

Hilarious or what?

But I took it as a sign to get moving. So I’m now going into overdrive with my submissions, with great results. In fact, I have amazed myself with my recent sales. Here are some shots I recently took in Australia, that have been selling well:

They illustrate the terrible drought they have been having recently.

I am processing and uploading every day, instead of just occasionally when I get around to it, and instead of my year’s target of 500 stock images in my portfolios, I have doubled that figure to 1,000 to achieve by the end of the year.

So thanks for the motivation Great Escape Publishing, and to whoever writes those horoscopes.

Elizabeth Coughlan