Hi Reader, back again with another edition of my weekly newsletter!
Here's why I think so many people in the creative industry give up... and how you can avoid it.
Most people don’t give up because the work is too hard—they expect it to be hard.
They give up because the feedback loop is too quiet. That silence creates doubt.
No likes. No clients. No praise. No signal that it’s working.
You question the effort—and whether you’re even cut out for it.
That’s the moment that separates the ones who make it… from the ones who don’t.
In February 2022, I was a 29-year-old corporate worker with a camera and a goal.
No skills. No audience. No connections. Just this fire inside me that said:
“I don’t want to live like this anymore.”
So I started creating.
Every night and every weekend.
Shoot. Edit. Post. Repeat.
No applause. No clients. No real feedback.
But I kept going. Because every time I showed up—I got a little bit better.
Fast forward 1 year and 7 months, and in October 2023, I left my job to become a full-time photographer and content creator.
Because I kept going when it was quiet.
If you're in that stage right now—this might help:
🧭 1. Know where you’re going.
You don’t need a 10-step plan. But you do need a vision.
If you don’t know where you’re going, how can you expect to get there?
🔁 2. Focus on the process, not the prizes.
Chasing validation will burn you out.
Fall in love with the boring work. The practice. The repetition.
That’s what builds mastery—and eventually, momentum.
🧱 3. Make your daily effort repeatable.
Create a system that fits your life.
Mine was simple: Shoot → Edit → Post → Reflect → Repeat.
It wasn’t glamorous—but it worked.
🔍 4. Measure who you're becoming, not just what you’re getting.
No likes? No clients? Doesn’t matter.
Are your photos better? Is your mindset stronger? Are your skills sharper? That’s the real scoreboard.
Quiet work builds loud results.
But only if you’re willing to stay the course long enough to earn them.
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What stage are you in right now—starting, building, or scaling?
Hit reply and let me know. I read every message (even if I can't always reply).
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P.S. If you're in the quiet grind stage and want to speed up your progress, my Editing Masterclass & Preset Pack 2.0 is built for exactly that.
You’ll learn how to edit like a pro, get access to my entire workflow, and develop repeatable systems you can rely on—so you can stop second-guessing and start levelling up your craft with confidence.
👉Get instant access here and make the most of this quiet season.
Let's keep pushing 📈
– Ben
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Thanks so much for spending some of your time with me & reading Filling The Gaps.
Talk soon,
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Anything else I can help you with?
Starter Preset Pack
If you're just looking to get started, my LTO Preset Pack 1.0 is the perfect place to do it. Transform your images with 19 Lightroom presets and a starter editing tutorial.
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