For most aspiring photographers, there’s a turning point when they consider whether it is worth quitting their day job and entering the exciting, but scary, world of being a full-time professional photographer, or not. It’s not an easy decision. In this video, Jeff Rojas shares three things that you should have in your mindset before you take this huge step. It will help you to decide if it’s the right time to make the change and teach you what you need to consider before the time comes.

1. Stop seeking validation from other people

Your close friends and family want the best for you. But, their vision of what’s best can be very different from yours. For example, your family may think that a steady full-time job is the best and most secure way to go, so they may push you towards that rather than supporting you in pursuing a career in photography. So, you should seek self-validation instead. Believe in yourself and listen to what you think is the best for you.

2. Give yourself a permission to succeed

While we’re at self-validation, you need to truly believe in yourself. There are a lot of people out there who are good at what they do, yet they don’t believe in themselves. Therefore, work on your self-confidence, as well as on your skill. You can accomplish anything if you make an effort and if you make clever decisions.

3. It comes down to being hungry

A lot of people don’t have what it takes to be successful simply because they’re not hungry. Literally hungry. For example: has it ever happened to you to that you can’t pay the bills, so you have to improvise? You cut corners, be creative and find all possible ways to save money. This is the mindset you have to adopt if you want to run your own business. You constantly need to be creative and find the best ways and strategies to make things work.

Is your mindset already “programmed” this way? If not, perhaps it’s not the right time for you to take the big leap. However, have these things in mind and work on them. And then, make the big step and enter the world of professional photography. Good luck!

[Should You QUIT YOUR JOB to Become a Photographer? | Jeff Rojas]