Blogging for quite a while taught me one lesson: becoming a professional blogger is a long, sometimes challenging journey.
No one goes pro over night.
No one goes pro over a year; in most cases, at least.
I only became the blogger I am today by setting realistic long term goals. Rather than trying to become a millionaire over 6-12 months I simply intended to circle the globe as a pro blogger over quite a longer period of time. Being realistic energized me for my blogging journey on a day to day basis. I did not rush to go pro. Naturally, not rushing ensured I took my time on a day to day basis.
Being realistic slows down your thinking, feeling and acting processes to measured levels. In 2008 I was a new blogger with zero blogging skills. I could never write and publish 5 guest posts daily because I had no experience, and I lacked writing skills, too. Being realistic allowed me to write and publish one blog post daily a few months into my blogging career. I did not burn out and quit. I did not flame out. I did not quit by trying to do too much, too soon. Success is progressive. Setting realistic goals allows this truth to expand before your very eyes.
Year over year, I published more posts on a daily basis. But only because I gave myself ample time to become a professional blogger. Imagine if I tried becoming a millionaire blogger in one year? Setting a largely unrealistic blogging goal – save the rarest of cases – naturally pushes bloggers to bite off more than they can chew. Craving to be a millionaire in 365 days means I try to write and publish 3-4 posts daily a few weeks into my blogging career. Trying to write and publish 3-4 posts daily proves either impossible or leads to burnout and quitting blogging not months into my blogging career.
I have seen this story unfold again and again during my 12 year blogging career. Bloggers overreach, force success, burn out, fail and quit. Or frustration sets in as you come up woefully short on your way too ambitious goals. I slammed into writer’s block as a newbie blogger after reaching 300 words. Imagine my level of frustration after setting a goal to write 3 guest posts daily when I can not even write 300 words of a single blog post? Frustration morphs into severe agitation. Most bloggers quit blogging versus re-setting their goals to realistic levels. Being realistic is not selling yourself short. Being realistic sets the proper intent for the long game.
Set realistic, long range goals. Do not set yourself up for blogging disappointment. Slow down, calm down, and set yourself up for long range blogging success. No one succeeds overnight, anyway. Blogging the right way energizes you on a day to day basis because if you walk to your blogging goal over 3, 4 or 5 years you will not burn out trying to sprint to your goal in 6-12 months.
My guest posting numbers seem to open some eyes but I just do simple things daily for a long time. I do nothing special. I do nothing spectacular. I do nothing brilliant, eye-popping or intense, at breakneck speed. I do simple things generously, patiently and persistently for a long time to position myself for the long haul blogging journey.
Embody a calm, confident, energized, stable vibe on a day to day basis. Set realistic long term goals to slowly but surely walk toward your blogging dreams from a relaxed, calm, peaceful vibe.
eBook
Do you need a refresher to stick to the blogging fundamentals?
Buy my eBook:
10 Stupid Simple Fundamentals of Successful Blogging
