A lot of new small-business owners are focused on growing their business quickly instead of seeing the big picture. I was one of them. I remember constantly reading articles related to quick growth, like how to make six figures in the first year of a wedding photography business. In order to go full time as a photographer, I thought that I would have to make the same income that I made at my corporate job. I owned a home, had student loans and was hoping to have a baby in the near future. I loved my daily Starbucks and not having to live by a “budget.” I didn’t live a lavish lifestyle, but I didn’t want to worry about all those extra Target items somehow making it into my shopping cart.

It wasn’t until I left my corporate job and, shortly thereafter, found out that I was pregnant, that my view on the growth of my business changed. When I first resigned, I planned on photographing a higher volume of weddings to establish a strong referral base. My goal was to photograph 25 weddings in that first year as a full-time photographer. Once I found out that I was expecting, my tune changed: I wanted to shoot a limited number of weddings at a slightly higher rate to be able to stay at home with my baby during the first four months of his life. I was willing to take a hit on my income to prioritize that time with my son.

[When Saying “No” is Better For Your Photo Business]

I wasn’t closing up shop or hitting the pause button on growing my business; I was just taking a step back from the number of weddings I was planning to photograph. I re-evaluated my business goals for the following year and adjusted my volume and financial goals. During this whole process, I learned some valuable things about taking a step back.

1. No two businesses ever take the same path to where they are today.

One photographer may photograph 35 weddings a year for the first three years in business, only to  “downsize” to 15 weddings in year four. Another photographer may photograph 3, 8, 12 and 15 weddings, respectively, over four years. Just because you aren’t shooting the same volume as another photographer or charging the same rates, doesn’t mean you both won’t end up with the same volume and price point in the future. It doesn’t mean that you won’t end up with the title of top photographer in the world by a bridal publication. It doesn’t mean that you won’t be happy with your life or with the state of your business. If you focus on your own path, instead of comparing it to others, your business will be exactly where it should be.

2. Money shouldn’t be everything.

Don’t get me wrong, having a money mindset is beneficial when running a business, but it shouldn’t define your happiness. I thought earning the same income as my corporate job would make me happy, but in fact, I am happier making less, doing something I love and having a whole lot more time with my family. Growing a business doesn’t mean doing more and making more every year. Take a step back from how you currently define growth so that you can reanalyze what it means to you and create more space to do what you love.

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