Six Steps to Blogging Success – Or Success in Anything

In the May 2006 issue of Coastal Living magazine, an article caught my eye about a young couple who moved from Montana to Bermuda to live on the beach and sell their own line of clothing called “Bermuda Styles”. What drew my attention was a bulleted list in a pull quote which gives basic tips on how this couple made their life and business change.

It made me think about what it takes to jump off a cliff, both geographically and physically, in your career, especially when it comes to starting and developing a blog.

Here is my version for blogging success, or success in anything you do:

• Research First: A lot of projects begin with a great idea followed by tons of enthusiasm and energy. Yet, without a plan, without a path to follow clearly outlined, most great ideas fall down without the structure to hold them up. Research the whys, whos, wheres, and wherefores necessary. Know before you go so the trip will be more enjoyable.
• Embrace Change: Business changes. Life changes. Markets change. You change. “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” If you honor change, you learn to honor choices. There is great power in recognizing that you are not just a leaf floating down the stream out of control. You have choices. So make them. And adjust yourself along the flow of the river as you float.
• Prioritize Quality: Make time to focus on quality not quantity. Anyone can mass produce, but producing quality makes you special. Quality means you understand your product or service, you understand what it means to people, you understand its purpose in the scheme of things, and that you want to deliver the best you can do. Be your best and do your best. Ask nothing less of yourself.
• Prepare For The Worst: “Excrement Occurs.” If you are prepared for the worst then you can handle it. If it hits you sideways, it can throw you off course and off track. For bloggers, worst-case scenarios include server crashes, backup failures, domain theft, copyright violations and intellectual property theft, negative publicity, site defacing, viruses, worms, and more. Are you prepared for each possible event? What’s your plan?
• Love Your Product: Without a doubt, if you love what you do, it shines through. The more passion you have for your subject, product, or service, the more people will be attracted to what you do. They can’t help it. The love is like a magnet. People want to be around people who are happy and in love with their labors. They feel the warmth and want to be around it. You recognize it when you see it, even if you don’t understand it. And when you do what you love, the world is a warm and rosy place filled with ideas, energy, and motivation.
• Use Your Brain Not Your Heart: Use your brain more than your heart. Let your heart guide your passions and keep you on track with quality and guide some of your choices, but use your brain to research, plan, strategize, anticipate, and control. Blogging can be highly emotional and emotion-driven, yet to be good you have to separate church and state. Don’t let the comment spammers or negative comments get you down. Don’t take it personally. Look at your options, think it through, and stick to your plan or change it accordingly, but do it with careful thought and consideration not instinctual defensive responses. Respond with your brain, not your heart. Your heart gets you going, but your brain keeps you going.

Related Articles

• The 12 Biggest Problems With Your Blogs
• I Love It When You Say Nice Things About Me
• Touching the Spirit When Blogging
• Have Your Favorite Bloggers and Blogs Run Out of Steam
• Define Blogging Success
• Developing New Ways of Thinking about Blogging
• When was the last time you read your own blog?
• Judging Blogs by their Post Content Styles
• Blogging is Hard Work
• Blogs That Stand Out
• Lorelle is the Author of Lorelle on WordPress
• What Have You Learned from the Blogging Experience?

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