Hey

As I’m waiting to pick my kid up at school, something hits me:

There are things that are second nature to us, skills that are automatic, wisdom that is “common sense” that the world is actually in great need of.

We tend to overlook them because it feels so natural and obvious to us.

We think it can’t be that valuable because it’s so easy for us, but to others, it could be like gold.

We have more to offer than we realize.

Even just our way of thinking, which we likely take completely for granted, could be valuable to so many people.

To be honest with you, I’ve struggled with “imposter syndrome” for longer than I care to admit. 

It was my old teammates from Emerson (I used to work as an inside sales engineer for the oil and gas industry) who started to open my eyes.

My old team sa Emerson Process Management

Whenever my teammates were in the market for a new camera, they would always ask me for tips and advice on which camera to get. 

And I would happily research the latest stuff based on their intended use case, and even buy the cameras with them sa mall, and invariably also give them tips on how to shoot and make great photos.

Trust me na lang when I say na pangit pa yung work ko nun. Pasting the links here for evidence of how I sucked. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Hehe

I was also the go-to guy for our team videos and photos whenever we had trips together. (We were close as a team and would even take our long weekend vacation time together.)

This was when I was getting my feet wet as a visual creative.

Weekend freelance photographer/videographer pa ako back then, getting a few gigs here and there.. and even when they could see that I wasn’t staying in corporate for long, supportive pa din sila. 

In hindsight, even if it was perfectly natural to suck as a beginner, in my mind my work wasn’t good enough yet to be considered professional.

So palagi akong kinakain ng Imposter Syndrome. 

And in one of those inuman/confession sessions when I was consumed by self-doubt, they said…

“We wish you could see yourself the way that we see you” 

Those are the people you want to be around. 

Years later, I would go on to co-found a videography school and go on to teach more than a thousand Filipinos how to tell better visual stories and how to get better-paying clients. 

I would also be teaching freelancing to a lot more people as well.

My face with the Freelance Movement Tribe hehe

It’s been a wild ride, and while the vehicle for me has changed from offline to online, I haven’t stopped telling stories and I haven't stopped teaching. 

In this respect, I’m grateful to my old teammates because they empowered my then-kindling beliefs. I’m still good friends with them to this day.

Now let me ask you this, .

Have you found your people yet? Friends, family, and co-workers standing in your corner? 

I know it’s hard kasi minsan we don’t have our own people cheering us on. Well, hindi lang minsan. Most of the time pala.

Heck, my own mom didn’t believe that Freelancing or working online was an actual thing back then. 

Sometimes, even random people from random conversations end up crushing our dreams. 

So we end up reinforcing bad habits of second-guessing and underestimating ourselves.

I guess it’s “normal” in a world where people so easily throw their insecurities at others. 

And then another thing hit me..

If you don’t have a group of people or mentors that will encourage or empower you.. YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY INTO THEM

This feels crass to say out loud, but it’s true. 

Wherever you might be coming from, you can engineer your way into a new environment by buying into a new community. I say buying kasi you not only need to spend time and energy, but also invest money to be a member. 

Sobrang swerte mo if you find something that’s high-quality content with a great community behind it. People genuinely helping people. 

I’ve observed this in only a precious few places. 

When I was starting out as a videographer, we had a group called Pinoy Video Maker, headed by Jason Magbanua. 

It was such a helpful community, and we had a private network of vetted videographers around the Philippines. May mga paid workshops kami a few times each year to upgrade our skills in storytelling.  

When I got serious about learning online freelancing, there was mercifully the Freelance Movement Tribe to be a part of. 

This is an annual membership that teaches the kind of freelancing where you don't need credentials, portfolio, or experience to land your high-paying projects and work with your ideal clients.

And as an email marketer, there is Email Underground Intensive. Not only is it the best training you can get as an email marketer, but it also is ground zero of all the biggest email marketers you might know today. It’s literally where they got their start. 

And the community here is nothing short of amazing. 

Kaya even if you have just the slightest, weakest kindling of a desire to be someone who writes for a living, I whole-heartedly want you to consider EUI before they go underground again at midnight tonight.

Here’s the link to check out

That way, even if your current environment is not that kind to your dreams and desires...

Andito kami in your corner to cheer you on, because we believe in you.  

You can still be the successful person you were meant to be.

Because I wish you could see yourself the way that I see you, . 

Shoden “Former-but-sometimes-Imposter-pa-din” San

PS1. If you found this a good read, and you have friends who are interested in reading email rants like these please forward this to them and let them sign up sa ating munting list.

PS2. eto din yan, but mas swabe. Share mo sa wall mo, I need subs parang awa mo na. ^_^ https://sendfox.com/WorkFunHomePinoy

PS3. EUI is going underground again for another year. Don’t wait that long to get good at writing emails for a living. 

Here’s the link to check out