2010 - the "Year of the Tiger" and YOU

2010 marks the "Year of the Tiger" according to the Chinese Calendar.

Do you want to make it a memorable year for you?

Then learn from the Tiger and secret Chinese meanings.

The principle is based firmly in the Bible.

"Ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you." - Job 12:7

Here's the background.

In China... the Lion is not the King of the Jungle.

It's the Tiger.

In fact... if you look at a picture of any tiger... they all have the Chinese symbol for KING written on their forehead.

Study the tiger below. On the forehead you will see a three horizontal lines split down the middle with a vertical line.

You can see the character for king below. Very similar to the markings on a tiger's forehead. Three horizontal lines split down the middle with a vertical line.

The Chinese did not see this marking and turn it into the symbol for "king." It is just how the tiger was created.

However... the connection between the Chinese symbol for king and the tiger unlocks the secrets on how you can succeed this year.

How the Chinese Word for King is Formed

To find out how the word for King is formed... It's important to learn the "root word" and break it down.

Take a look at the symbol the symbol below.

It is the symbol for "Intelligent Man, Successful Man, Complete Man"

The symbol for "Successful Man" is created by two characters. The bottom character is a simple "-".

That is the symbol for the numeral 1.

The "+" is the symbol for the numeral "10."

Together... they signify a complete man... who has taken care of everything from 1 to 10.

Add a dash (or a 1) above that symbol and you create word King.

And it shows that a King not only does everything completely... but he does it in a way just "one Above" a complete man.

In other words... to be a "king" you have to not only do everything completely... you have to do it to a level that is even above VERY intelligent persons. Completely skilled persons.

How we can do this is by learning from the tiger.

3 Unusual Facts of the Tigers and how you can Learn from Them

Perhaps in 2010, you can take these traits and apply them to your photography.

Fact 1: The Tiger's claws retract when it walks about - leaving no claw tracks.

A friend of mine, Jason Stratton had a great saying...

"When you go to a wedding. Smile when you leave your car. And don't stop smiling until you get back into your car."

People are hiring us because something good happened to them.

They are getting married.

They are getting ready to graduate. They just got a promotion.

In short, they are having a “good day.”

If you aspire to be a full-time photographer. OR if you already are…

The fact of the matter is that week in, week out... we are NOT always having a "good day."

But no one likes to be around a person that having a "bad day." And especially not on their historic good days.

So "retract your claws" when you work.

Work on being extra kind. Work on being excited for other people's accomplishments.

Make your personality the type that people want to be around. Make it infectious!

Is it being fake?

No. It's called putting on a persona. It's our job.

Fact 2: Tigers eat Turtles and Frogs... as well as Buffalo and Deer

What? The mighty tiger? Eating frogs?

Yep. You don't see that on NatGeo when you see the tiger chasing down a deer.

Here's the secret to being a successful photographer from an economic standpoint.

Chase the small game with as much gusto as the big game.

Wow... look at me, right?

I do big time weddings for big time clients.

Some of my clients are just about as big as they can be in their industry. Sports. Entertainment. Medicine. Law.

That's fine an' dandy...

But the key?

I chase small game with just as much passion.

Learn to love the simple headshot. Learn to love the pro bono work you do for the local charity.

Chase after that lead where someone needs a photo of a warehouse employee who just got a promotion.

This year... keep your eye open for ALL opportunities - big and small.

Fact 3: Tigers Don't Waste

Animals waste all the time.

That's why there are vultures and other scavenger animals.

They wait for a predator to make the big kill.

And after the they finish eating? The vultures move in to clean up the leftovers.

Not tigers. Not if they can help it.

A tiger will cover the carcass in leaves and dirt.

And later when it gets hungry... it will go back to that to finish the leftovers.

This year, in 2010. Actively look for ways not to waste.

Sure, I am talking about not wasting resources. Make sure the products you buy for you studio is money well spent.

But going further than that... don't waste your clients.

Go back later and pick through the leftovers.

Sure... you just did their wedding. But later, do they even know that you do family pictures for Christmas?

Do they know that you do baby pictures?

Are you making a lifetime client that will refer you to their friends and use you for all their needs?

Don't waste.

You already did the hard part and caught your "dinner."

Now tuck it away and feed on the leftovers.

With all that being said.

It's our turn to commit 2010 for great success.

It's the Year of the Tiger.

It's a time to take things ONE STEP further.

the Chinese symbol

for King

Sucessful Man