I have blogged for 12 years all together.
I have not missed a blogging day in over 5 years.
But even persistent me has issues because I am human. Fears arise in my mind sometimes. I recorded a short video on YouTube a few moments ago. I reminded my viewers to keep blogging. I also shared how even though I largely feel detached from outcomes, I may note only a few YouTube video views and feel less inspired to publish videos on the platform. Sue me; I’m human. Anyway, I feel the fear and do it anyway. I keep at it, blogging persistently, because blogging is about developing a viral online presence versus trying to get a bunch of views on a few posts and videos.
Adopting this frame of me cultivates my persistence. But even persistent me wanted to watch Netflix and go to bed tonight versus writing this post. Why do I blog? I spend little time listening to my ego and its fears, its obsession with comfort and its love of ease. I spend more time listening to my heart and its willingness to do fun, freeing things for your benefit, even if doing those things feels quite uncomfortable sometimes.
Writing a guest post at 11 PM after another long, fun but challenging blogging day feels quite uncomfortable. But what can I do? I have only seen results because I kept blogging through thick and thin. Every pro blogger sees results only because pros keep blogging through thick, thin and everything in between. Pros blog. Amateurs tend not to blog much. Or at best, amateurs do a little bit of blogging here and there, quit, start up, then quit again a few times. Toss in a few more weak attempts. Permanent quitting follows.
How do you ever intend to succeed if you quit before you get started? Keep blogging. Get after it. Blogging challenges even the most stout, resolute bloggers from time to time. Goodness knows I feel challenged these days, even after blogging for 12 years. But I do largely have fun blogging. I enjoy the journey. I blog mainly for fun, freedom and to help you. Holding on to these freeing intents inspires me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, a key foundation for being a persistent blogger.
Be your own cheerleader. Spur yourself on. Blog for fun, freeing drivers. Do not set unrealistic expectations. Most bloggers quit because most bloggers expect to live their wildest dreams after publishing a few posts, writing a few comments, then these folks all but know they will be featured on major media. This is madness. Insanity. I have observed new bloggers fully expecting to get featured on major media after a few months or year of publishing a few posts. People delude themselves. Bloggers believe their story is so special that their story alone will sell them, without bloggers putting in 10000 plus hours of generous effort over 5-10 years of their lives.
I believe deeply in you. I know your story is special. But you need to put in the blogging time and service, like all aspiring professional bloggers. Everyone needs to blog for a long time before going pro. Overnight success simply does not happen. But patient, persistent, generous bloggers do wonderful things over the long haul.
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