We recently connected with Jonny Miller and have shared our conversation below.
Jonny, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
When you are always pushing yourself to be better and learn and grow like I do, the next job is always going to be outside of your comfort zone because that’s how we challenge ourselves and grow as creatives. That is where the magic happens. If we stick to what is comfortable we lose that inspiration and that passion and nothing evolves. In those moments of pushing beyond what I have created before, there is a fear that I am not enough for what I am meant to do. If you are always working outside of your comfort zone, you will always feel like you aren’t enough for what you are meant to do and create. When I was first starting to become successful, my closest friends, loved ones and co-workers were a wonderful resource for different perspective. As a creative, I am my toughest critic and they helped me see what was true. But for me to “overcome” imposter syndrome, I first had to acknowledge and accept that I will never be enough for what I am meant for. I let that fear, instability and a bigger vision seduce me and trust that my connection to something bigger than myself will carry me through. It’s also very important that I stop and look around at what I have accomplished and remember that the largest brands in the world would not ask for me if I wasn’t doing something special. I stopped comparing myself to others work and started using them as inspiration. When I focus on the future, a bigger vision and serving others to the best of my ability, imposter syndrome becomes irrelevant.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am passionate about creating, directing and producing highly engaging and inspiring content for some of the world’s biggest brands. My extensive experience, coupled with an expansive understanding of energetics and storytelling techniques, allows me to bring a unique perspective to the advertising industry. I have a collaborative approach and unique ability to understand my clients values, goals, and objectives, elevating our creative to a higher level of coherence and resonance with viewers.
My favorite thing about what I do is connecting with my subjects. I feel the light behind the form and try to capture its true essence and beauty. Wether it’s a person, car, a tree or an animal, I always look for the intrinsic qualities and beauty of whatever I am capturing and reveal it in my work.
The future of advertising is no longer about making pretty pictures or trendy, fluffy content. As creatives we must understand the energetics of our clients message and capture authentic moments and emotions that truly represent our clients and their products or services. Creative without substance is a waste of everyones time an energy, including our audience.
I hold myself and my clients to a higher standard of work that we create together. I evaluate each image we create, not only for its technical proficiency, but for what the image really says and feels like. Making sure the energetic subtext match our values and our objectives. Our audiences are smart and they know when something feels fake. It’s up to us to make sure that we are coherent in our approach, because when we are, the outcomes are far beyond what we could have imagined.
I am where I am today because I am led by passion and I remember the day that I made that choice. It was my second year of college and I was walking to my biomedical science lab. It was a beautiful spring day and I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the smell of fresh air. There were hundreds of people chatting as they shuffled across campus. Everyone seemed to know where they were going and what they were doing, but I felt lost, and drained and I was dreading taking a chemistry test later that day. As I passed the football field I stopped and starred for a while, confused as to why I was feeling this way… And then it hit me. I chose sports medicine because it felt safe and I never thought I could make a living as a photographer and doctors make money. I even loved sports, but I wasn’t happy. So right then and there I promised myself that I would always follow my passions and what truly lit me up. I would rather be a poor starving artist and be happy over taking the safe route. I didn’t know how or what to do next but I just kept following where that passion wherever it led me and I have never looked back. It was 2007 when I got my first job as a photographer for Missouri State University. As it turns out, I got to shoot every sport all through college and be on the field with the players. After college I worked for some of the best photographers in the business and learned all that I could before starting BadGood Productions in 2016. I have photographed in 23 different countries and work with brands including American Airelines, Toyota, Lexus and McKesson.
Because I followed my passions and lead with integrity and coherence, I am more successful than I could have ever imagined when I made that choice in 2007.
My goal for the future is to mentor creatives of all types. Help them elevate their work and their lives, so they can have a greater impact on those around them. I am passionate about serving others, igniting soulful expression and intimacy and illuminating extraordinary possibilities for ourselves and others.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I touched on this in the last couple question a bit. To keep it simple, I would say passion, tenacity, and a big vision.
Passion, because you need to be lit up and excited about what you do. You need passion to be inspired and always strive to be better on the next project. If you lead with passion, the hard things don’t seem so hard. It helps you try new things and push yourself outside your comfort zone into the magic zone.
Tenacity, because it can get hard. Especially starting out. You need to feel that you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. You need tenacity to get you up each day and try your best over and over again. And when you get knocked down, you need tenacity to lift you back up, learn from it and try again.
And a big vision for yourself and others. You have to claim something so big that you need faith that something greater than yourself gives you the energy to achieve it. It sets a standard for yourself and helps you align your life to that vision. With a big enough vision, everything that is not in alignment with that, will naturally fall away and leave you with focus and purpose and the path will illuminate itself along the way.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Books are incredibly important for development and growth and I could list dozens that have added to the growing list of perspectives that I hold when working and in my daily life. The more perspectives we can simultaneously hold, the more energy we have access to and the better decisions we can make and the greater impact we can have in service to others.
If there was one book I would say that the principals have made the greatest impact on my life is a book called ” The Seekers Code” by Donny Epstein.
Although the book is new, I have been a student of Donny for several years and the changes in my life have been truly extraordinary. It’s changed my life so profoundly that Donny is now teaching me how to mentor others and impact in their lives using the principals in this book.
-Our ability to manifest extraordinary outcomes requires access to unbound energy from the universe. The amount of energy we have available, determines our thoughts, Our emotions, our actions, our health and our impact. It’s the difference between breakdown, comfort, and manifestation.
-Understanding that energy comes first, helps us navigate the world more efficiently and how to create more effectively.
Contact Info:
- Website: badgoodproductions.com
- Instagram: @badgoodproductions
