When Loring returned to US he became an electronics instructor at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and he quickly made contact with Post Photo Hobby Shop and got a part time job, thus learning more about photography for himself but also helping to teach others fine art of photography.

Loring’s next posting was to Panama where he continued with local Post Photo Hobby Shop as a Photo and Color Printing Instructor for 2 ½ years, and also picking up work as a free-lance photographer. Loring soon began photographing such things as kids visiting with Santa, then developing and printing and delivering photos, Then action work such as youth Karate matches, Pop Warner football games, Little League baseball games, and both team and individual photos. And, of course, weddings. All these photo endeavors paid surprisingly well, and Loring was soon not only very busy but making enough money to more than support his photography needs. And teaching helped keep Loring up with everything in photography field so soon everyone with a question about cameras and photography was coming to him.

Being around military bases there was always opportunity for youth sporting event photography. And wedding photography. From 1970 thru about 1977 Loring did a pretty brisk business in photography, made a lot of friends and took a lot of pictures. And made a pretty good “extra income” that not only paid for all his cameras and supplies but provided a lot of extra money supplementing his income.

But it was hard work and long hours and Loring’s son, silver smithing and rockhounding were getting in way. The transition was made leaving photography behind and embracing a new business – jewelry making and silver smithing.

LORING WINDBLAD’S SILVER-SMITHING BONANZA Loring was always a rock collector. This gave him an eye for rocks that were different everywhere he went. As a soldier in US Army he managed to live in France for four years, Panama for five years, and Southeast Asia (Vietnam) for 2 years, as well as extensive periods from coast to coast across United States including California, Georgia, New Jersey, Kansas and Arizona.

Loring was divorced while he was in Vietnam when his son was three. Eight years later, in August of 1975, his ex- called and said, “I can’t handle your son any more. You’ve got to take him!” Without getting into gory details….”Well, ok”, and his son came to Arizona to live with him.

Loring, Jr., was an excellent artist and got straight A’s in art in school. He was now in a new environment and Windy, as a way of keeping his son’s interest up in arts and new things, began taking Jr. and his friends out on camping and sightseeing trips in Arizona desert. Loring also was taking Geology courses with local Junior College, and began imparting that knowledge to his son and his son’s friends while on their outings in desert and mountain country of SE Arizona, Basin and Range country.

Rockhounding gave desert jaunts with his son extra meaning. Identification of various kinds of rocks and geological formations soon were followed with explorations of old turquoise mines and an education in copper-related gemstones of turquoise, malachite, azurite and chrisocolla. Use of Army’s lapidary hobby shop led to cutting slabs of stones, revealing hidden patterns, then cutting stone slabs into cabochons enhancing pattern intricacies.

What are cabochons without jewelry? Silver smithing classes followed and then Junior turned his cabochons into some jewelry pieces for his mother and sister. Then came wax carving and lost wax casting, running full gamut of classes and skills available. In order to keep expenses down Windy located wholesale outlets which supplied him with components to assemble jewelry such as chains, pendants, findings, etc.

After two years, Junior decided it was time to move back with his mother and Windy was left with all sorts time, of jewelry skills and pieces of original jewelry building up, some pieces rather unique. He turned to local flea market and soon established himself as a regular jewelry maker, attending almost every weekend. Sales increased, and soon Windy began his jewelry business, The Stonewerkes, Southwest Originals in Wood and Stone. He was attending weekend flea markets and Art in Park and Craft shows all over Arizona to sell his products. And he built up a chain of 8 businesses in two states which also handled his jewelry on consignment.

Loring actually took his “rockhounding” hobby turned jewelry business a large step further. He subscribed to all commercial and trade magazines as well, and then combined his talents as a photographer and as a writer, photographed his silver smithing and lapidary work, wrote photo-journalism articles on “how to” silver smithing projects and then sold them to magazines.

Loring says “You never know when what you do as a hobby can end up being a very profitable business. Over past 40 years I have had rare pleasure of turning three hobbies into professions: photography, electronics and now rockhounding. And using other skills such as technical writing and typing in those endeavors. From humble beginnings….”

4. Try to put aside negative beliefs

One root cause of procrastination is negative beliefs about ourselves and our abilities. "I can't do that." "I tried once and I couldn't do it." If you have no belief in your ability to achieve a particular task, it's no wonder you procrastinate.

In some cases you might be right...a particular job might be outside your area of expertise. And that's fine. Where you need to address these negative beliefs is when you find yourself feeling frozen in face of tasks that you really could achieve. Be aware of difference. Question yourself.

5. Put aside fear of failure

This is related to two points above. And it's all a matter of attitude. For some, a single failure in their professional lives drags them down and they feel like its impossible ever to succeed again. For others, typically most successful of all entrepreneurs, individual failures are signs that they are breaking new ground. Sometimes things work out well, and sometimes they don't. This latter group views failure as something positive - a learning experience.

>> Finally, consider programs to help you with procrastination

For some of us, procrastination and patchy work performance is something we live with, work with and are constantly aware of it. And it gets in way of success we should achieve.

If this sounds like you, you might want to consider taking some kind of more deliberate and positive action to address problem.

The answer for me lay in a hypnosis program. I was skeptical and surprised, but finally delighted by outcome. For you? You need to explore options and possibilities that feel right for you and your own circumstances.