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Flourish Academy PodcastAuthor: Heather Lahtinen
Our purpose at the Flourish Academy is to leave people better than we found them. We hope to inspire and motivate you to reframe your thinking in a way that serves you. Our hope is that you will reply with, "wow, I never thought of it that way." Language: en Genres: Education, Self-Improvement Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Podcast Ep 439 - It's Important to Understand These Two Types of Burnout
Episode 439
Monday, 9 November, 2026
Are you burned out because you have too much work—or because you're working so hard to get more clients and nothing seems to be happening? In this episode, Heather and Nicole explore the two types of burnout photographers experience: the overwhelm of having too much client work and the exhaustion of constantly trying to grow a business without seeing results. They reveal how your thoughts about your circumstances can intensify burnout, why desperate marketing often feels heavy, and how shifting from "I have to get a client" to "How can I create an opportunity?" can change everything. If you're feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or questioning whether you're cut out for photography, this episode will help you find a more useful perspective and trust yourself to figure things out. Key Takeaways: There are two types of photography business burnout: having too much client work and trying relentlessly to create more business without seeing results. Being busy doesn't automatically mean you're burned out. Your thoughts about your workload can create feelings of pressure, overwhelm, and exhaustion. Burnout from trying can be just as exhausting as burnout from doing. Constantly marketing, experimenting, and putting in effort without seeing results can lead to hopelessness and self-doubt. "I've tried everything" is rarely accurate. Instead of concluding that nothing works, ask yourself what you've learned and what you could try next. Your circumstances and your emotional experience are not the same thing. Two photographers can have the exact same workload and experience it very differently based on how they think about it. You don't have to fight every circumstance. Sometimes the solution is to prioritize, delegate, rest, or allow certain tasks to fall. Desperate marketing can feel heavy and uncomfortable. When you approach potential clients believing you have to convince them to buy, your actions and energy may change. Replace "I have to get a client" with a more useful question: "How can I create an opportunity for someone to book me this week?" Focus on creating opportunities to serve. Instead of approaching marketing from desperation, think about how you can help someone make a decision or discover your offer. Trust yourself to figure things out. Your past experiences can provide evidence that you are capable of navigating difficult business situations. You can make things harder or easier with the way you think about them. Recognizing your thoughts gives you an opportunity to choose a more useful perspective. Sometimes you need a reset, not more effort. Rest, food, a nap, or a shift in perspective may be more helpful than continuing to push through. You don't need to solve everything at once. Start by changing the question you're asking yourself and identifying one useful next action. What if you're not burned out because you're failing—but because you're thinking about your business in a way that's making everything feel harder? Whether you're drowning in client work or exhausted from trying to book more, there's a powerful shift that could change how you experience your business. Discover why desperate effort may be keeping you stuck, and how learning to trust yourself can help you move forward with more clarity and confidence. How to Support the Podcast: Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please like, share, and leave a review. If you like the content, please share with your friends by posting on social media so that we can reach and impact more people. Join our next free coaching workshop: www.getcoachedbyheather.com Connect: Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram
