We recently connected with Travis Ellison and have shared our conversation below.
Travis, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
I developed my confidence and self-esteem by first, building a strong foundation of positivity and optimism within. I attribute the beginning of this foundation to my parents and close family members who willingly celebrated every “little” thing I did. It took growing older to realize the seeds they planted within me, that have ultimately helped to grow me into the person I’ve become.
As an adult and a professional, believe me, I still have my doubts and I still fight that battle to find my confidence from within. Regardless of the emotions I feel, it’s the overpowering feeling of purpose that always guides me to a better mindset and that’s where my confidence resurfaces.
In this life I’ve discovered that realizing and pursuing my purpose has eliminated so much of my fear because I understand that I’m on a divine path. I’m reminded that I have no reason not to be confident if I know that the work I’m doing comes with purpose.
At the core of my purpose, I find that my job is to become the best version of myself while encouraging others to do the same for themselves. My craft and career in photography has been the driving factor to help me realize my purpose; ultimately reminding me that I have to be confident because there are others who I may or may not know, that are depending on my confidence “in the now” to ultimately help them in the future.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
At the core, I am an optimistic creative. I create with purpose in mind and I believe that what I create has the power to positively impact the world. With 10+ years of experience in sports & entertainment, approaching my 30th birthday, I find myself in a beautiful space that I’d describe as knowledge seeking, energetic pursuit, gratefulness, purposeful, mentorship and leadership.
This year I enter my eighth consecutive season of working in the NFL. Simultaneously I enter my third year as a full-time entrepreneur and second year as a Unit Stills Photographer in the Television/Film industry.
Due to my career field, I’ve worked with and/or crossed paths with some of the most talented athletes, entertainers and individuals of our generation. I don’t take those moments lightly nor do I take for granted the gifted abilities I’ve been given that allow me to thrive in these spaces.
I actively mentor, speak on panels, etc, to share my story with the understanding that it’s making a positive impact on the lives of others.
I’m excited about the opportunity to continue honing in on my brand identity and initiatives as I look to multiply my impact in the near future.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
At this point in my journey I would attribute the following qualities to making the largest impact in my life and career thus far; Positive Self Talk, Active Patience & Abundantly Gratefulness.
Positive Self Talk – I always remind people that I’ve gotten to where I am today because I believed I could. It wasn’t until I got to college that I started to consciously realize the super power of “positive self talk” and belief in self. There are so many examples of times where the outcome was out of the ordinary yet still in my favor, simply because I believed in it and then took the steps necessary to make it a reality. When you tell yourself it’s possible, your brain then takes the next step to start figuring out how it’s possible. The same is true when you tell yourself it isn’t possible; your brain will give you all the reasons why it isn’t possible. At the end of the day, what you believe will 9 times out of 10 be a closer reflection of your outcome.
Active Patience – I came up with this phrase in college as well. I was at the point where I knew what I wanted to do, I could see who I wanted to become, but there was a bunch of work I’d need to put in to get to that destination. That’s where I had to focus on the day to day grind, I had to be patient about the longterm results, but be active in the short term to reach the destination. Even as I’ve become successful and have achieved those previous goals that I set out for myself, I continuously revert back to “active patience” as I work towards the new versions of myself that I can envision. It’s a never ending cycle and that’s the best part about it. Don’t be afraid to cheer on your peers as they’re achieving their goals while you’re simultaneously struggling to obtain yours. It’s okay, don’t be jealous either; I see others success as a testimony and proof that it’s also possible for me.
Abundantly Gratefulness – Each step of the way I’ve become more and more grateful. Each day is truly a blessing and these very moments in my life are truly ones to cherish. The ways I show my gratitude vary but one of those ways are shown through mentorship.
I actively share the wealth of knowledge I’ve obtained with those I mentor and my peers in the industry of sports and entertainment. I’ve gone back to my high school and other places to speak with the youth, share with them the potential opportunities in this space and overall just remind them that their dreams can without a doubt become their reality.
I also use quality time and self-reflection as a gratefulness activator. I’ve experienced death or “spiritual transition”, in ways that have forever changed my outlook on life and how I choose to approach it. There are so many reasons I can find to be grateful for and I allow those reasons to overpower any emotions that might stir me off course.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am absolutely always open to the idea of connecting, networking and seeing where we can be of service to one another.
From a business perspective, I’m looking for brands who are interested in partnering with me to make a difference in the creative community. Having 10 years of experience in this industry, I’ve been challenged, I’ve been exposed to new experiences and I’ve been able to enjoy the great things this industry and lifestyle has to offer. My goal is to work with brands and individuals who have a similar mindset and are willing to help amplify opportunities to others.
From a mentorship aspect, my DM’s are always open. Shoot me a DM on Instagram, my IG is @TravieTrav_DMV . Always happy to connect and be of value to others. https://www.instagram.com/travietrav_dmv/
I’m also active on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/travisellison .
Contact Info:
- Website: www.travisellison.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travietrav_dmv/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/travisellison
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0N-CywBdRcX4ZfBXJjUQnw
Image Credits
Travis Ellison / Travis Ellison Productions, LLC
