This one action has dramatically shifted my life and my business: the concept of bridging the gap between what I intend to do and the interventions I put in place to actually make it happen.

Too often, we know exactly what we should be doing—yet we don’t do it.

Whether you’re an emerging photographer, an established creative, or simply someone who wants real results, mastering the “intention-intervention” process will help you reinvent yourself in a more effortless and sustainable way.

I’ve personally experienced a transformative shift in my life and business by applying what I call the “intention-intervention” framework.

Before I understood how to align my intentions with real interventions, I struggled to stay consistent—especially when life got hectic. When life happens, plans go out the window.

Once I started putting clear objectives on paper, building triggers into my environment, and removing friction points, my productivity shot up.

Not only did I see a clear improvement in the volume and quality of content I was making, but the creative freedom I’d always hoped for finally felt like a reality.

I’ve also guided fellow creatives to similar results through my coaching: they booked more clients, finished long-delayed projects, and rediscovered their passion for making pictures.

Let’s see if you’re just skimming this or REALLY taking this in.

If you commit to the ideas here, you’ll discover a more natural way to achieve your goals without feeling overwhelmed.

You’ll learn how to harness your intentions and turn them into concrete, manageable steps that help you make real progress every day.

Instead of falling into the usual cycle of excitement followed by procrastination, you’ll find it easier to maintain focus.

By the end, you’ll walk away with a stronger sense of direction, a more streamlined creative process, and the confidence that comes from seeing tangible, consistent growth.

By engaging with the following steps, you’ll learn the difference between vague goals and specific, measurable objectives that keep you motivated.

You’ll see how visualization only works when paired with concrete actions—like setting up your environment and cutting out friction.

You’ll also pick up if-then strategies for managing unexpected setbacks, so you stay on track no matter what.

Finally, you’ll see how celebrating small victories and leaning on social accountability can ignite the momentum you need to reinvent yourself in a sustainable way

Why Visualization Alone Doesn’t Work

I used to believe that if I pictured my success vividly enough, I’d magically make it happen.

As a photographer, I’ve visualized dream editorial shoots, a booming business, and creative freedom.

But I learned pretty quickly that visualization alone isn’t enough.

Sure, it can spark motivation, but if there’s no action plan behind it, that fire fizzles out as soon as life gets busy.

For example, when I first started managing larger teams, I imagined everyone would become more productive just because I asked them to.

But my intention never took flight until I intervened with real, tangible steps.

This is why it’s so critical to use the “intention-intervention gap” model.

You anchor your goals in specific actions, creating that bridge between what’s in your mind and what you do in the real world.

Clarify Your Intention

All reinvention begins with crystal clarity.

Write down your goal, visualize it, and then translate it into something measurable and specific.

Instead of saying, “I want to make more pictures this year,” try, “I want to schedule two creative shoots every week to expand my portfolio.”

By giving yourself a clear, quantifiable target, you create a built-in guide for your energy.

Vague intentions—like “I should shoot more” or “I should update my portfolio”—never seem to stick, because you haven’t defined exactly what success looks like.

The more detailed your intention, the easier it will be to design an intervention strategy.

Design Environmental Triggers

I’ve learned that one of the best ways to build new habits is by engineering your environment to trigger the action you want.

Let’s say you want to dedicate 30 minutes every morning to editing your latest shoot.

Instead of leaving it up to chance, set up a reminder on your phone, clear your desk the night before, and keep your editing software open so that it’s the first thing you see when you sit down.

I’ve used similar triggers in my photography business—like preparing my gear bag and lighting setup the night before a client shoot.

That way, there’s no guesswork in the morning.

It’s not about having more willpower; it’s about removing the friction that derails you when you’re tired or distracted.

Minimize (or Maximize) Friction

The idea of friction can swing both ways.

You want to reduce friction for positive behaviors and increase it for behaviors that pull you away from your intention.

Reduce Friction for Good Habits: If your intention is to update your social media portfolio each week, store your best images in a dedicated folder on your phone or desktop so you can post in seconds.

Increase Friction for Unhelpful Habits: If you find yourself procrastinating on Instagram reels or binge-watching gear reviews on YouTube when you should be shooting, log out of those platforms on your devices during work hours.

Make it harder to slip into unproductive habits.

Set If-Then Plans

No matter how good your plan is, life happens.

That’s why I use “if-then” strategies to maintain consistency:

If I have an important unexpected client delivery and can’t do my scheduled creative shoot, then I’ll shift it to an evening session or the next available day.

If my hand is hurting from retouching, then I’ll pivot to culling images or preparing my client deliveries. (I finally just hired a retoucher because retouching takes too much time. This way, I can focus on doing the work only I can do)

If a situation stops you from doing an important thing, pivot to something else on your list that you also need to do that will move your needle.

Thinking ahead to potential roadblocks stops you from giving up at the first sign of trouble.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about persistence.

Track and Celebrate Small Wins

The creative industry can be hyper-focused on big achievements—like landing a high-profile commercial job or exhibiting in a well-known gallery.

But it’s the everyday small wins that truly get you there.

I mark off each completed shoot or editing sessions or any important tasks on my task manager.

Seeing a streak of checkmarks builds momentum and motivation.

Find small ways to reward yourself, always—maybe it’s a nice coffee break, or some extra time exploring a personal project. More time shooting is always a great reward.

When you learn to celebrate progress, you’re less likely to abandon your goals.

Lean on Social Accountability

One of the biggest secrets to my growth has been sharing my goals with others—close friends, fellow creators, or even my mentorship groups and online communities.

I’m four times more likely to follow through when I know others are watching or cheering me on.

Think about announcing your new photography challenge to my online community or booking coffee meetups with a fellow creative each week.

I do meetups on Zoom with my community every Thursday afternoon.

It’s tough to let someone down or admit you didn’t follow through, which makes accountability a powerful ally.

I do this in my coaching programs as well—each participant shares their horizon goals, and together my mentorship community, accelerator members and I get each person to their goals in the straightest line possible.

That sense of mutual support pushes everyone to make consistent progress.

Put It All Together

Intention: Get clear on what you want.

Intervention: Arrange your environment and routines to support that intention.

Accountability and Rewards: Keep yourself motivated through community and well-deserved treats along the way.

I know there’s a lot to absorb here, but these core principles have helped me grow my photography business, maintain personal health goals, and stay consistent when life gets busy.

If you want more detailed insights and real-world examples, check out my other posts, podcasts and videos on YouTube where I break down each of these strategies further.

Here’s to reinventing yourself and making pictures that truly reflect your evolving creative vision—without burning out on your road to success.

I hope this brings you clarity and value.

Thanks for reading me this week.

Of course, I’ll see you next Saturday.

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