Redundant How-To’s
Before writing this post I decided to Google “How to get better at blogging.” It’s amazing how many results there were (4.84 million). I opened seven different tabs and read each post on becoming a better blogger. Here’s what I learned:
- There are 2 million blog posts each day
- It’s all about content
- In order to make money you need to optimize your blog with all sorts of add-ons and SEO (search engine optimization)
- Blah blah blah
To some blogging may be a profession, a way to generate income, a means to gaining clients or selling something. That’s great, there are a ton of How-To’s to get you there. Honestly, for this blog I don’t care.
Motivation for Blogging
As I posted yesterday, blogging daily for me is about forming a habit. I am not blogging for money, to gain a massive following, or any other reason outlined in the How-To blog posts. The idea behind blogging daily is to do something day-in/day-out, make sure to ship something, and eventually see the results in improved writing and increased knowledge. It’s also about putting my thoughts into the world and not being afraid of other people reading my ideas.
Be True to You
If I’m going to be one of the two million blog posts everyday, I am going to write something true to myself. I am trying to get better. I am trying to dedicate a portion of my day turning my thoughts into words. I am not going to over-analyze my content in order to gain followers. I am not trying to increase my blogosphere community.
I have determined my motivation for blogging: To create a better me. Whatever motivates you to do whatever you do, I think it’s best to do it for yourself. Yes, generating income is doing something for yourself, but it’s important to stay true to your beliefs while doing it. One of my favorite quotes is “Decide what you stand for and then stand for it all the time” by Clayton Christensen. Being free is about holding ourselves accountable and that means living by what we deem to be right in whatever situation we find ourselves in.