How to decide when to make a big leap, move or transition in your creative business

People ask us all the time…

 

“Do you still shoot?”

 

For years, years, that’s how people knew us…Mr. + Mrs. Limelife. Cameras in hand. Ninjas at weddings. Self-proclaimed comedians at portrait sessions (maybe that was just me), making everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera. Aww, it makes my heart happy thinking back to laughing with bridal parties, photographing grandpas bear-hugging their grand-daughters on the dance floor.

 

Just the other day, I was cleaning out old boxes and folders and shelves, in one of those Monica (yeah, you’re thinking of the right one…Geller) moments. I’ve been having lots of those lately as we prepare for our babe to come home from China. Anyway, I found so many old notebooks of ideas and strategies for our first born, Limelife Photography.

 

It made me smile. But, it didn’t make me regret not shooting weddings anymore.

 

I still shoot a handful of lifestyle family sessions. I always will. But, we stopped taking weddings almost two years ago now, and here’s why…

 

It was the right time. For us.

 

This is what happened…

 

We dreamed up this beautiful idea of helping creative entrepreneurs take action on the lives they were daydreaming about. As we had more and more conversations about what our purpose and greatest contribution was and what our future held, our hopes for a family, the dream lifestyle we wanted in 10 years, we leaned into the idea of Limelife-ing less and Idealust-ing more.

 

We created a 5-year plan. On paper, the transition was beautiful! Gradual. Tidy. We were proud! We looked at the transition of percentages of our income from one business to the other. We felt grown up. Oh, look at us and our perfect financial pie chart!

 

Then, the flood hit. The flood of my tears, that is.

 

We found ourselves in the middle of a crazy busy wedding season and building a brand new business.

 

We were putting in way more hours than we thought we would be at that point of Idealust, doing business coaching for creatives. But doors were opening. I mean, swinging wide open! Things were happening. It was fast and furious and I was ugly crying all over the place.

 

Turns out, we were totally prepared for everything we thought would happen and totally unprepared for everything we had no idea would happen.

 

I was overwhelmed. (Even though we knew this craziness was only a temporary season.)

 

It was too much. (For us. Mostly me.)

 

So much time and energy, divided in different directions. (I give so much credit to you 9-5ers.)

 

And so, after a lot of big conversations, we threw our plan out the window. (Yep. Adios, pretty pie chart.)

 

We still had some weddings on the books but decided from here on out, we wouldn’t be taking more. We decided to use the momentum we had with Idealust, focus on that, and give it our all.

 

Jesse and I have made a lot of big changes and “risky” decisions over the years (sometimes by choice, sometimes by circumstance), from moving to Africa to starting two businesses, to throwing our 5-year Limelife-Idealust swap plan out the window. We’re pretty sure this will be a recurring theme for us, the life God has for us. 😉

 

And, every time we feel ourselves getting closer and closer to toeing that line of a life-changing transition, we ask ourselves some big questions before we take the plunge into whatever it is that’s next.

 

If you’re in that middle limbo, or desiring what’s on the horizon, or sweating from the pressure of trying to make a decision, this is for you.

 

How to decide when to make a big leap, move or transition in your creative business… 

• Are you making the move to avoid something else that you really need to address or deal with in your life/business?
• Is your spouse or significant other on board?
• If everything goes south, are you okay with the worst case scenario?
• What is the worst case scenario?
• Do you have a backup plan?
• Do you have a gut feeling or intuition that this is the right next move?
• Is staying in your current situation draining your time, relationships, energy or money?
• Have you slept on this? Given it time for the honeymoon phase of the idea to wear off and time to see what the reality of this looks like for your life?
• What happens if you don’t make this transition or move forward? Can you live life as is, staying put where you’re at?
• What’s the upside? What could potentially (but realistically!) happen if you move forward with this?
• Is this what you really want or a quick fix to make you feel better?
• Is the best case scenario what you really want? If not, is it worth it in the first place?
• Why do you want to make this move? Is it because you feel like it’s where you’re supposed to be or is it because you’re feeling pressure from outside influences or social media or other people’s opinions?
• How long have you been thinking about this? Has the idea of this faded or gotten stronger?
• Do you believe you can do this?

 

Plans are good. Sticking to them is important. But, I also believe that being open to and flexible with the unexpected is just as important. There are no guarantees in business. You know your heart and brain and gifts and desires better than anyone. And, you just never know when one step forward in the right direction will unlock something wonderful, something you never could have dreamed up yourself. The beautiful place you’re meant to be.