When I was young, she was the professional class photographer

It’s incredible how you can remember so little about your childhood the more you advance in years. It felt like the new ones had overwritten the old, but it also felt that the old memories went further into the deepest recess of our minds.

But for the few memories we remember, we look back at them and realize how far we’ve already been. And I still remember this particular class photographer when I was in sixth grade. She looked younger then, sure, but still quite the same today. More than a decade later, I’m amazed to see her doing the same work; now, her children have also gotten into the family business.

So much has changed for me in the last decade, and seeing her doing the same work made me wonder about career shifts and sticking to that one thing you want to be good at.

No, I can’t say she is the best photographer in our small city because there are budding professionals who are also making a name in the industry (yes, in our developing city). But because she continued to show up every day and did the work she was expected to do, day in and day out taking class photos, she had made a name for herself. So if you want your picture taken for a job interview or your professional license renewal, you know where to go: the professional class photographer when you were still in grade school.

Therefore, making a name isn’t just about how good you are. It’s also about staying in business long enough until your competition dies away–until you’re the only one left with years to back up your credibility.