What is Rock Bottom?

“The truth is most of you won’t ever start because you don’t want to be seen starting at the bottom”

On my social media feed today, someone posted this interesting thought. Got me thinking about what it’s is like to be at the bottom. Starting from scratch as you’d say.

I’ve had an engaging chat about this very post. Most of that material will eventually make it to blog format.

For now, what is the real meaning of rock bottom?

Being at the bottom for most means that they’ve hit the lowest point they can possibly hit. In reality, things can go way worse than the point we call rock bottom. Think about it a second. You can loose your home, your health, your loved ones, your income, your city… And still not yet be at total rock bottom. You still have your mind, your sanity, your ability to move.

For the sake of this entry, rock bottom is not always a dark and ugly place. It is a place that is not comfortable for sure, but not always the worst of a kind.

Launching into a new set of skills means you have to start from the bottom of somewhere. You’re not born knowing everything or  knowing how to do everything. You’ve got to start at the bottom of a scale somewhere.
Starting at the bottom means you’ve got only one real way to go.

Up.

You’ve got to learn the ropes, learn the kills, learn the habits of success, learn the craft of success. That’s how photography started for me. It was a simple point and shoot camera. I was at the bottom. In time, I got paid to do weddings, events, individual shoots. I was no longer at the bottom. However, I’m still at the bottom compared to professionals of world renown fame.

If you’re going to make moves, you’ve got to accept reality, your move will place you at the bottom of a scale. Your job is to move up from that bottom. If you’re comfortable with being at the top of your scale, then, cool. Just know that you’re probably not at the top of your potential scale. And that can be cool as well.

Me writing a blog, that is a new set of skills for sure. I’m not good yet. I have to get better. It can be daunting at times, but it’s worth it. Now I am comfortable writing.
I had to start at the bottom. In time, I will be good enough to draw a larger audience of readers. In time, if I work smart enough, I can be a regular voice in someone’s world.

At the end of the day, if you’re not willing to eat some humble pie and start something new, you’ll never be able to find out just how high you can climb.
Today, go out and start something and be willing to stick with it until you’re no longer at the bottom of that thing you’ve started.