![]() by Skip Cohen It's Sunday morning, and it's the one time of the week I never write about marketing. Why? I like to share something outside of business because it's therapeutic. It's like a quick charge to prep for the new week ahead, and there are rarely boundaries I don't cross. I've mentioned a few times over the years how Sheila and I got in the habit of reading something motivational each morning. At the start of the year, we both pick a new daily meditation book and read the thought for the day over breakfast. Well, it's a new year, and my book for 2025 is a Wall Street Journal bestseller, The Daily Stoic. Thanks to two great authors and some of the world's greatest minds, there's a lot of practical wisdom. One of my favorites is the author's interpretation of a statement made by the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius...currently "alive and well" in Gladiator II.LOL "The more things we desire and the more we have to do to earn or attain those achievements, the less we actually enjoy our lives, the less free we are." For years, I measured my success by my W-2. My happiness seemed to be based on my earnings, but something was missing: I wasn't always enjoying my life. My priorities were all about accumulated things. Over the past several months two major Florida hurricanes, their horrific devastation, followed by the California fires, literally starting in my old neighborhood, Pacific Palisades, have led to a lot of time assessing what's really important in my life. Like many of you, each disaster has contributed to a series of what-would-we-do conversations, each time helping to enforce and clarify our priorities. It's a hypothetical lifeboat drill about what's most important in our lives. Nothing would stop the heartbreak of how we'd feel if we lost everything, but our definition of everything has changed. Here's my point—my definition of happiness these days starts with waking up with a smile, followed by my health and a clear vision of the day ahead. That vision is dominated by Sheila and two outrageous pups, close family, and good, good friends. The use of two "goods" is intentional, not a typo! ![]() It's about clarity, which is also the title of this first section of The Daily Stoic. Over the years, I've met so many photographers who spend so much time focusing on their monthly billing that they miss the pure joy of helping a client capture a memory. They don't seem to really enjoy their lives as much as they could. Don't get me wrong—I'm not suggesting anyone abandon their goals to earn a decent living; I'm just saying that focusing on the bottomline alone will lead to a lonely, shallow existence. Years ago, Clay Blackmore was teaching a workshop, and he talked about the importance of giving back. I'm paraphrasing, but he wanted to remind everybody that if they'd just focus more on giving back, all the rest of their success would fall into place. Wishing everybody a day ahead that's filled with things that make you smile and your heart sing. As sappy as that sounds, take a second and think about the people in your life who do that and the incredible memories you have, thanks to them. Always go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs I write with those people who aren't just responsible for helping you achieve your dreams but helping you live them. Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.
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1/29/2025 02:15:45 am
Photographers get to make people's lives beautiful.
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