As I sit here after my morning walk, I can’t help but reflect on what’s going on in my world right now—sports and school photos. If you know me, you know I put my heart into these sessions. I photograph every student or athlete, edit each image, and then send out individual galleries for families to view and purchase from.

It’s a lot of work, but it’s work I love because I want these photos to feel personal—not just a “yearbook” shot, but a real reflection of your child and their personality. Still, with all the effort I put in, there’s one truth I’ve had to learn over time: in business, you can’t take sales personally.

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Why It’s Easy to Take Sales Personally

When I see someone purchase an entire gallery, it feels like the biggest compliment. To me, that says they love the photos, value my work, and want to keep every moment I captured.

But then there are times when a family only buys one or two images. In the past, I’d wonder, Why just that? Didn’t they like the others? It’s so easy to attach meaning to each sale.

Here’s the problem: I don’t know the story behind that purchase. Maybe their budget is tight. Maybe they’ve already had professional photos done. Maybe their child isn’t as invested in that particular sport. The truth is—I’ll never know, and it’s not my job to know.

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The Power of the Whole Picture

What is my job is to look at the whole picture of my business. One small sale doesn’t define the value of my work. But if every single family only purchased the bare minimum, then that’s feedback worth paying attention to. Maybe my pricing needs adjustment, or maybe I need to offer different products.

On the other hand, if most families are happily purchasing full galleries, that’s a strong sign I’m on the right track. In fact, for my sports and school photos, about 50–75% of families purchase the full gallery. Those numbers tell me that people do love my work—and that I might even be able to raise my prices in the future.

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Protecting Your Energy as a Business Owner

The biggest lesson I’ve learned? Don’t waste energy overanalyzing every single order. When I put too much thought into the “why” behind one small sale, I’m taking away energy that could be used for creating, growing, or simply enjoying my work.

When I feel myself slipping into that cycle of second-guessing, I try to shift my mindset. A walk (like today!) helps clear my head and reminds me that the big picture matters more than individual sales.

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A Word for Fellow Business Owners

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by a lost client, a smaller-than-expected sale, or the slow pace of growth—remember this: one moment does not define your business. The whole picture does. Step back, look at the trends, and give yourself credit for the wins that are happening.

That perspective shift can change everything.