Is this mindset holding you back from your blogging success? appeared first on ProBlogger.
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"What's the biggest mistake newbie bloggers make? »
This is a question I get asked a lot on panels or in interviews, and I suspect the people asking the question want a technical answer.
The reality is that the biggest mistakes I see bloggers make usually happen in their minds, not on their blogs.
Your mindset and attitude are just as important as the blogging platform you choose, the format of your blog, or the number of posts you publish per day.
I see two very common mindsets among many bloggers (and ex-bloggers) that I think hold them back.
1. I...
One of the things that annoys me about blogging conferences is that most of the conversations I hear in the hallways and at networking events are bloggers talking about their wonderful dreams…. . .
Dreams and big plans are great, but they're worthless if you don't get past the dream stage.
"I..." statements I've heard range from beginners to their blogging careers (I'm going to start a blog) to more established bloggers (I'm going to write a book/create my own new project).
While there's nothing wrong with thinking and dreaming and then dismissing an idea because it's impossible to implement, some bloggers are serial "idea thinkers" who never put anything into perspective.
For some, the idea never leaves their mind; Others get so caught up in the creative process of imagining new things that they start many projects but never follow through. These guys are always looking for the adrenaline rush of a new idea, but are reluctant to do the hard work of implementing the idea.
2. I'm not... enough
- I'm not creative enough.
- I have no technical skills.
- I am too late to make an impact.
- I am not of legal age
- I'm not young enough.
- I live in the wrong part of the world.
- My handwriting is not good enough.
- I don't have a budget.
- I'm not smart enough
The list of excuses for not taking action on certain aspects of blogging is endless.
Sometimes they arise when we compare ourselves to the great things others have done; Sometimes it has to do with our feelings of inadequacy and insecurity.
Either way, the end result is usually passive. Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking we'll work "one day" when we're better, smarter, older, or better, but the reality is we never will. .
The secret to the success of many bloggers
But what sets some bloggers apart?
It's very simple: they make things happen. They don't let what's on their mind distract them from blogging and what they want to do.
- They still have ideas and dreams, but they put elements of action around them that make them come true.
- They still have doubts and insecurities, but they don't let that stop them.
I look back on my experiences as a blogger over the past eight years and see times when I suffered from both mindsets.
I have notebooks full of ideas that never materialize. But a few years ago, I realized that if I didn't do something, my business would never reach its potential.
I also had times, especially when I was starting out, when I was so skeptical of what I wrote and lacked expertise in certain aspects of blogging that I was almost paralyzed with fear. However, I managed to blog it aside, only to find that the more I did it, the better I got.
All of this reminds me of a great video I saw from Seth Godin last week. It's 18 minutes long and I think a lot of what God says applies to bloggers. Many of us are paralyzed by our "lizard brain," which often actively disables and confuses us.
I would love to hear your thoughts on how to overcome this mindset. I know many of us struggle with them. How to get out of the "I..." or "I'm...not enough" mentality?
This article was first published on September 30, 2010 and was updated on August 11, 2022.
Is this mindset holding you back from your blogging success? appeared first on ProBlogger.