I recall speaking to a few folks over the years who slammed into blogging struggles.
Nothing seemed to change for them blogging-wise, no matter how long or hard the individuals worked.
Virtually every person noted being a former teacher, or ex police officer, or even a current day employee. Since you cannot outrun your self-image, you will literally BE the teacher, cop or 9-5 employee even though you claim to be a blogger. Why? Life follows your self-image.
I had to change my self-image from ex security guard to blogger YEARS before I became a professional blogger. I had to see myself as a blogger even though I was an amateur blogger. If I continued to see myself as a security guard who got fired I would do the stuff I did as a security guard every day I arrived home from the terminal.
I had to patiently, persistently and deliberately picture myself in mind as being a blogger to let go low energy security guard habits I clung to for a long time.
Security guard days found me:
- going to the gym for hours
- watching DVDs (2004-2008, folks)
- lazing around on weekends
as soon as I arrived home after working my job. But bloggers do not have hours to waste watching DVDs, going to the gym and lazing around because aspiring pros need to blog-work for hours generously daily, in order to go pro. I changed my self-image from lazy security guard with no vision to blogger with a vision of fun and freedom. My habits followed my self-image.
Gone were lazy days spent idly. I began meditating, doing yoga and power walking to strengthen my mental muscle and physical muscles in an organic, seamless way. I also put in many hours of blogging work daily, as bloggers are wont to do. But you need to follow my lead by seeing yourself as a current day blogger versus current or prior self-images because you will think, feel and act as your image of self dictates. Former cops who see self as former cops never think, feel and act like bloggers. People who do not think, feel and act like bloggers:
- make excuses like not finding time to blog
- make excuses about being too lazy to blog
- give up on blogging at the slightest bit of resistance
- run into obstacles left and right, feeling paralyzed by their limiting beliefs
- struggle with blogging
- fail blogging-wise
- quit blogging
Build a new, freeing image of self as a blogger. Treat yourself as a blogger. Treat your day as a blogger would treat your day. Get serious about blogging. Be committed. No one goes pro overnight but being committed to blogging for 1000s of hours leads to a professional blogging career. Of course, you need to see yourself as a blogger to commit to blogging for 1000s of hours.
Change your self-image. Leave your old life in the past. Do not cling to it; let it go. Step into a new, freeing way to live, by being a blogger now. Be all in. Go for it. See yourself as a blogger to BE a blogger now, doing as bloggers do to until you become a professional blogger.
Making this shift feels uncomfortable sometimes but all blogging success flows to you well outside of your comfort zone. Being free beats being bound but predominantly comfortable.
eBook
Part of becoming a successful blogger is choosing the right blogging niche for you. How? I wrote an eBook to help you pick a niche.
Buy it here:
How to Pick the Right Blogging Niche
