I once had a friend – let’s call him Jason, who was completely obsessed with photography.
Bro would see an insect, and whip out his camera.
A rural building. Camera.
If I met up with him, he had a camera.
He’d spend weekends out in nature, capturing shots that could be on the front cover of National Geographic.
Every time I saw him, he’d show me his latest work, and it was clear that photography wasn’t just a hobby.
It was his whole life.
It was his f*cking passion.
But Jason worked a full time job.
And never made a dime from photography.
Despite his obvious talent, when questioned why don’t you go all in, he kept saying things like, “I’m not ready,” or “What if nobody buys my work?”.
The switch from 9-5 to your own business is daunting, I get it.
Talent isn’t enough these days. Content creation, marketing, funnels etc. It’s a lot. I’ve been there.
But none of these were the problem for Jason.
It was one different major problem.
He didn’t believe he could turn his passion into profit because deep down, he doubted his own worth.
Sound familiar?
Maybe you’ve got a side hustle or a passion project you’ve been thinking about turning into a business, but something’s stopping you. You want to build a brand, start selling your services, or even just create content that gets noticed. But every time you think about making that leap, fear and self-doubt creep in.
Here’s what I told Jason, and here’s what I want to tell you: You don’t need to be 100% ready to start.
Waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect skillset is just another way fear holds you back. The truth is, no one feels completely ready when they start something new.
ABSOLUTELY NO ONE.
I’ve never met someone with the perfect plan.
We have a rough idea, send it, and see what happens.
But it’s all about if you’re willing to take that first step and trust in your self.
This is your passion, it’s what you love.
And if you truly love it, you will start to see opportunities unfold.
I asked Jason, “What’s the worst that could happen if you put your work out there?” He admitted that the worst was a few people not liking his photos or maybe no one buying them.
But once he said it out loud, it didn’t seem as scary.
He realized that the fear was mostly in his head.
It’s always just in the head.
The reality of the situation never lives up the anxiety induced fear mongering stories we tell ourselves.
Finally, Jason started posting his photos online.
He built a simple website, threw up an online store, and to his surprise, people actually started buying.
He didn’t make millions overnight (despite what some gurus will tell you), but he began to see that turning his passion into profit was possible.
All it took was that shift in mindset—recognizing that the doubts holding him back were just thoughts, not reality.
If you’ve been sitting on a passion that you want to turn into something more, it’s time to ask yourself:
What’s really stopping me?
Is it the fear of failure?
The fear of judgment?
The belief that your work isn’t worth it?
I’m here to tell you that your passion has value.
Your skills have value.
But you’ll never know what’s possible unless you take that first step.
Whether you’re trying to launch a business, sell a product, or build your personal brand, the key is consistency combined with the love for what you do.
It won’t feel like a chore, and showing up every day, will feel easier.
Put your work out there, and trust that the process will unfold in your favor.
Yes, there will be obstacles.
Yes, you’ll face challenges.
Yes, you’ll fail miserably.
But that’s part of the journey.
The only way to fail is to never start.
Start small, build your confidence, and keep showing up.
You can make this happen.
Much love,
Shawn “Sheshn” Heshmatpour
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