Some of my students approached me recently to discuss about their blogging journey. It is always interesting to talk to them and find out the difficulties they face. After some exchanges, I realized the difficulties all relate to one single reason: the fear of failure.
There are two broad types of blogs we see in this industry - the casual blogs and the impactful ones. The former consists of you writing a post occasionally and these are read by your closest friends and family. However, unlike the latter, they are not going to bring about any meaningful changes to your life. If you are looking to achieving concrete opportunities on both personal and business grounds, it is important to have the correct mindset; it has to be something you care about, like your job or a project you want it to succeed.
My point here is, commitment is very important. It drives the fundamentals of everything you want to construct with your own hands and ensures you have a clear direction towards your goal. Your initial direction may not always be correct and I believe in this case, two basic senses come into play - the sense of sight and sense of hearing.
Your Senses At Play
The sense of sight represents observation. Observe the results of your actions and evaluate constantly if they are putting you in the right direction. The sense of hearing represents to listen. Listen to feedback and again, evaluate your actions. Doing such a thing is never easy because you may find yourself doing things that are pulling you off the track you want to take. However, persevere and be confident. Believe in your capabilities and have faith that you will succeed. As I always say, remember that everything starts from zero and it will never grow, unless you try.
With the fundamental emotional aspect addressed, I shall go on to address the one mentioned above - the fear of failure.
One student asked me why anyone will want to read her blog. This is a common question which I have heard umpteen times and can answer with considerable ease. The answer is simply because people want to.
People Want To Read My Blog? Serious?
You’re right. People want to read your blog for uncountable reasons … maybe they like your style and personality … they are able to relate to and learn from your experiences … or simply because they share the same interests as you. Therefore, do not worry about whether people will read your blog. Instead, focus on what you can contribute and write on. If your creation meets the needs of other people, it will be read. It is understandable that when you first start, you will be confused and doubtful. Be brave and step out, enjoy the process and the results you get will remove the confusion and doubt that you held earlier.
From experiences, the act of trying always works most effectively in providing clarity and better puts you in the direction you want to move in. If you are still not convinced, look around you. How many of your friends, including yourself, consume others’ creations and marvel? Tons, I believe. So why is it so hard to have faith that yours will be read and marveled at as well?
Another concern a student raised was why anyone will want to read their blog when the blogs covering a similar topic are aplenty. This concern is natural given the large number of bloggers present in the blogosphere.
I Am Just Another Tree In the Rainforest. Would Anyone Bother About Me Even If I Fall?
The participants in the blogosphere are complements more than substitutes. It is very common that the community shares and recommends one another’s posts and videos and may even combine efforts in certain projects. In addition, the industry being so huge has endless opportunities. As long as the readers have the time, they can read as many blogs as they want on the topics of their interests. This means that you can write on one topic even if it has been touched on by other more famous bloggers. Therefore, the fact that the topic of your interests has been covered by other bloggers should not deter you from writing about it as well. In fact, if it has been discussed widely, it is a strong indicator that there is a large market for this subject.
On the other hand, it also means that you have many other bloggers with the same community profile as you. How do you stand out then? Remember that everyone has a unique style and personality. Each and every single one of us has different personal experiences as well. All these can be your differentiating factors from the rest in the same community. Therefore, do not despair about not being as established as the rest because as long as you are willing to try and persevere on discussing topics you are passionate about, your posts will definitely be read.
Now, another student posed the worry of having insufficient things to write about in his blog. This is yet another common fear many bloggers will have. In fact, I, myself, experienced this fear before. After all, we are all humans and how can we be sure that creativity and inspiration will be present day after day, right?
Creativity And Inspiration At The Snap Of The Fingers … Possible?
I can safely assure you that this is nothing to worry about at all. Reason simply being, passion is never-ending. As long as you are passionate about the topic you choose to blog about, you will never run out of things to write about! Of course, being humans with only 24hrs a day, we have limited time and energy. But, when something is your passion, you will never get enough of what you love. Think about your favourite drama serial. Have you ever wanted it to end? I could be glued to CSI forever! What about your favourite sports or the special someone whom you can never stop thinking about? I am trying to relate a similar logic here in terms of blogging. Once you start discussing the topics you really love, you can definitely go on and on non-stop. There will be unlimited circumstances and scenarios that will trigger your desire to discuss the subject. If you do not feel the spark and excitement in the topic you have chosen, it is most probably an indication that you are not passionate enough about it. The last and most important aspect is of course to be confident about your ideas and views. With passion, creativity will flow indefinitely and you will have endless opinions and topics for discussion.
Are You Now Convinced That Your Blog Can Work For You?
So far, we have discussed the common fears new bloggers face and also, the fundamental state of mind that you need to have to be successful. Constantly observe what you feel or think about when you are writing for your blog and evaluate what those emotions indicate. In addition, evaluate if the topics you have been discussing are putting you in the right direction towards achieving your eventual goal. Listen actively to feedback provided by people around you and again, evaluate your current state. Put yourself through these regular evaluations objectively and you will find yourself one step nearer to your goal. At the end of the day, it’s your choice and decision. Always remember that if you never try, you never know. So, be brave and step out!
As CEO of Affiliate Home Business, Jack Harold is an experienced Internet marketer and has helped thousands of his students to apply Internet marketing strategies to succeed online. If you will like to know how to make money online, you can grab a free copy of his exclusive “The Rags To Riches Blueprint” at his website, Affiliate Home Business.
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