Hi friends,

Recently, I was at an event, walking around with my professional camera, capturing photos and videos of speakers, performers, and the audience. There were also three other photographers there, moving through the crowd with their cameras. They were older, more experienced, and carried their cameras as if they were an extension of their bodies—like a natural limb rather than just a tool used to freeze a moment in time.

Usually, after an event, I go back to my desk, transfer all the files to a drive, and start editing. Usually, I realize I’ve captured more than I need. Usually, that’s a good problem to have.

But this time, I had a different problem. I had less than half of what I normally capture. I didn’t have enough photos or videos to tell the story of the event.

It’s because, while I was there, I spent more time watching the other photographers and videographers do my job than actually doing it myself. I wasn’t learning from them; I was comparing myself to them.

I kept wondering:

Did I look as smooth holding my camera?

Was I directing attendees as effortlessly for group shots?

Did I seem that confident in low-light situations?

I felt like they could tell I never went to film school. I felt like they could see that I learned everything about cameras from YouTube. Like they knew I wasn’t one of them.

I felt like an imposter. Like I didn’t deserve to hold this black box up to my eye.

This feeling is called Imposter Syndrome: the belief that you’re not good enough, even when you’ve already achieved some level of success.

We all experience it. We hesitate to call ourselves writers, even if we write regularly, have finished projects, and sometimes even after publishing stories. We tell ourselves that if we haven’t published a book, we don’t deserve the title.

And this applies to anything we pursue that feels bigger than ourselves.

What’s helpful to remember is that everyone feels this way, the beginner, the expert, and even the OG. The aspiring artist, the working artist, and the professional artist.

The way to deal with it isn’t to wait until you feel "ready." It’s to ignore the doubt and combat it with action. The more we do—the more we create, write, film, and build—the more proof we give ourselves that we’ve earned our place.

Do more!

— Mohamed

💎 New From Me

Last weeks Video: How Journaling Can Make You a Better Writer

🔖 Quote I’m pondering

When you have some success, the feeling of being an imposter can be real.

Who am I fooling?

But when you create things that only you with your unique talents and experience can do then you are absolutely not an imposter.

You are the ordained.

It is your destiny to work on things that only you can do.

— Kevin Kelly

Source: Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I'd Known Earlier

📸 Through My Lens

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Thank you for reading!

Mohamed