Discipline and the Bloggers Opportunity

November 11, 2009 · Comments

milking a cow It’s 4:46AM as I write this. I’m en route to two events today, one in the north of the country and the other at the southern tip. In the middle, I’ve got work to do on planes that might be cramped. And I’m writing this blog post because it’s my obligation to you: to provide you with useful content. You might blog for passion and whim. If so, this blog post isn’t for you. You’re invited to check out The Oatmeal (hat tip Julien).

For the rest of us, let’s talk about discipline and the blogger’s opportunity.

Every time you post, you build an opportunity. It might be for making business. It might be for sharing thought leadership. It might be the chance to build some new relationships. Mechanically, it might just be another attempt to gain better organic ranking from Google. But each post is an opportunity.

To obtain any kind of value in these opportunities requires discipline. Consider these points before each post.

Discipline and the Blogger’s Opportunity

  • Show up – First, just be there. By writing a blog post on a regular schedule, your audience knows to expect you. They come to accept the flow of your efforts. Farmers have this relationship with their systems. It shows stewardship.
  • Deliver value – Bring your best game as often as possible. We all have “barely functional” days, but more often than not, if we’re earning people’s respect, our efforts must be something of value to our reader. Writing about ourselves doesn’t cut it.
  • Improve – Your great post from a week ago doesn’t give you a hall pass. Learn from those posts that don’t hit. Experiment. Read other great writers in your vertical and outside of it. Deconstruct what they’re doing and try to improve your game.
  • Clarify your desire – If you’re seeking a specific result from a post, guide your audience to that result. If you’re seeking sales, make the call to action obvious. If you’re looking for comments, invite a dialogue at the end of your post. It’s yours to win.
  • Do your part – Blogging isn’t all about your blog. Have you commented lately on others’ blogs? Are you sharing using the various social sharing tools? Be a good neighbor and help other bloggers by sharing, commenting, and adding value to the ecosystem.

If you’re wondering what it takes to get your blog up to the next level, to see business results from your effort, to grow your community, these are some points to consider for every post.

Need more advice? See My best advice about blogging. I’m here to help.

What do you think? How are you with discipline?

Photo credit chrisada

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  • It's almost 2 a.m. for me now. I'm exhausted and was about to tumble into bed. Should I skip the post I was supposed to write today? Weighing my options when I stumbled across this. Back to work now.
  • Guest
    Chris... Thanks for the inspiring reminder. I have posted my re-commitment on my blog now to help keep me posting regularly. I owe it all to you. ...Howard
  • Chris... Thank you for the reminder. I vow to change my ways and have publicly committed to change as my latest blog post. It may help me to "put it out there". ...Howard
  • Love the cows! They rock!
  • Chris, thanks for these thoughts. After blogging for some months, I've stepped up my goal to 3 entries a week. It really is all about discipline, and using spare or free time waiting in airports or driving thinking about possible topics, outlining content, dictating it into my iPhone or writing notes, not writing and rewriting til an entry is 120% perfect to me but knowing that 80% is often great and adds value for folks, etc. Plus, I created a jogging and blogging system. I jog 3 times a week so I think about blogging while jogging. Hey, it works for me! Last entry took only 1/2 hour!
  • Great post per usual, Chris. However I do want to play devil's advocate a little on one point you made:

    "Deliver value – Bring your best game as often as possible. We all have “barely functional” days, but more often than not, if we’re earning people’s respect, our efforts must be something of value to our reader. Writing about ourselves doesn’t cut it."

    I completely agree that each post you write and everything you put out there should serve a purpose and add something to the community - however, I have found that many of the blogs that I return to on a regular basis are blogs where I know something about the blogger and where they share their experiences, personal insights, and talk about themselves.

    I feel like bloggers that only speak in a formal "marketing" vernacular seem a bit pretentious and I can't relate to them.

    I think finding a healthy balance between providing great info along with sharing your own personal experiences and insight draws a greater and more varied crowd in.

    (I hope that makes sense...)

    Thanks again! Great post.
  • I'd like to mention too that it's okay if it takes you a while to get into that routine.

    I need to get to my draft posts as well.
  • lizzymagvire
    I liked you post. It's really informative but the photo you posted here is too funny according to me..
    fit flop
  • Dude, what is that Oatmeal site about?

    It's been a while since I read a post on the basics of blogging. I just started writing my own blog a couple months back. There are very little comments to now, and I have no subscriber count, but I do think there are quite a few readers in there somewhere.

    Like Yaro Starak said and like you say here about discipline, the first few months (up to six) should be focused on creating content (if you're blogging to build an audience or to establish yourself as an authority). I guess I'm still taking my time writing good content with a consistent theme. And interestingly I've slowly started to lose the desire to "monetize" my blog, because my writing is turning out to be quite revealing for myself. I don't even have any share function-ability buttons anywhere on my site - yet. I just want to get the ideas out first.

    Nice to be reminded again by a blogger who knows how to build a community. Thanks Chris. Good luck with your North to South trip!

    Cheers,
  • Thanks for the excellent advice and encouragement. I enjoy blogging, (even if no one's listening) and I always think of topics to write about. My biggest trouble is showing up. My procrastination gets the better of me because I hesitate about my post delivering value. I should worry about that more when I get more than 2 hits/day on my blog. :-)
  • Thanks for the honesty in this post. Blogging is hard stuff if done right. Persistence and determination are key...I understand this more than ever since I made a commitment to do it myself. Why, I think I can contribute to the conversation about the exciting changes in media and marketing. I enjoy your blog Chris, thanks for your hard work!
  • A day late with reading this post, but that proves the point of your message. If you provide your audience with relevant, quality information, they'll always come back. The loyal readers will always be there. And those who are not always present and active on blogs still expect the same quality whenever they read your blog. Give your audience great content, and they'll give you great reviews.
  • christiwharton
    Thanks for this post. It was just what I needed to hear. I write for two blogs and I have found that I do great with one and the other kind of suffers. It is just a matter of discipline and I need to do better. You are the best - Thanks!
  • Love it! Thanks for the reminder!
  • For those that have mentioned "starting small", you're on the right track. As a freelance writer, I thought I could knock out posts everyday with no problem. But I discovered that things quickly get in the way. Like LIFE.

    Once I enrolled in graduate school, I knew I would have to back down. So I took a step back and got more serious about it. I went ahead and got a web host (was just using free wordpress site previously), and decided I would make 2 posts per week. That has fit into my life/school schedule quite well.

    I'll probably up that per week number when I hit the holiday break, as I will have more time. As an added bonus, I find the days in between not writing provides me the time to read more (inside & outside my discipline) and to think about the posts I will write, so that my posts have been of higher quality.

    So start small and make adjustments as your life/career changes.

    Rod, your editorial schedule is excellent idea.
  • I started a blog last month and trying to stick to posting everyday. Sometimes I am too hard on myself but I really want it to be successful.

    Sometimes I wonder if I started this blogging thing too late.

    I'm up to 25 posts now so I am feeling better and I keep tweaking Wordpress to make it work better. It's a slow process but I am getting there.

    I'm reading a few books on blogging as well. I'm currently reading Publish and Prosper - Blogging for you Business by Byron and Broback. It's a boring book but I have ProBlogger to read plus Blog Marketing. They look more exciting.

    I'll keep at it and see how I go :)
  • mquinn
    There is no doubt that the effort takes discipline and real thought. Posting just to post is transparent and meaningless content just takes up space on the page. If you are really trying to make an impact and your INTENTION is to give something to the people spending their time on your blog; it pays off. Thanks for your good intention Chris.
  • Discipline is to blogging as water is to oatmeal (and a big sarcastic thanks for leading me to that crazy oatmeal site, Chris. It's like a bear trap...).

    I struggle with discipline, but I'm learning to change that through none other than discipline itself. I admire bloggers who produce on a daily basis. I figure when I get to that point I'll have trouble not writing every day, and that sounds like bliss.
  • I always try to be discipline on my work. I think as I am learning from blogging I am going to aware about more discipline.
  • TaylorEllwood
    If you want to be visible, you've got to show up. I don't blog daily, but I do try and get out at least entries a week, because I know when I do it keeps me visible to people.
  • Thanks for modeling what it's all about, Chris! Passion is a beautiful thing, but there are days when it comes right down to the discipline. It's great to see the benefits of developing positive habits with blogging. I read an analogy of blogging as a marathon. Since I am training in my running toward that end, it helps me to view it that way.
  • Great post! I agree with your "show up" comment that it's important to blog on a consistent schedule and honestly, that's an area I need to work on greatly. However, if I don't find anything of great value to blog about that day, I don't feel I should still do it. I'd rather have less posts and more value, than more posts and less value. Otherwise, I'd be afraid of getting a reputation as a fluff blogger, or someone who doesn't blog about anything important.
  • rachelakay
    Chris,

    Great post. It sounds really basic, but I think we often forget the most important part of blogging is delivering content that others can expand on and add too. That's the meat and the potatoes. :) That, and generosity to others online can go very far. Thanks for the reminders.

    Rachel Kay
  • petekunk
    Consistency, discipline and real value......your living it everyday and its Inspiring!
    Thanks Pete
  • Excellent. This is valid advice whether you're blogging directly for ad income or to promote your services.
  • I suspect "barely functional" days contributed dramatically to the popularity and dissemination of lolcats.

    So much easier to post a cat pic than write something interesting. Oh, internets.
  • Chris - these are great insights. Thank you for sharing. But what happens in this situation: You take your blog past its current level, beyond the next level, to some who new level (seriously). You find the result TRIPLES your traffic and participation, but in order to keep that there, you have to write less because what your audience is coming to you for takes three times the time and research to write. Is it okay to compromise frequency for quality?
  • The point wasn't to write super fast. The point is to be consistent. I think as often as you can muster is the right pace, but just remember that people can wander. Remember, people want a mix. They want tapas *and* they want full meals. Make sense?
  • Thanks Chris! It's an excellent point and takes some pressure off.
  • Chris, I sure like your analogy between tapas *and* full meals - that's been my experience too. #ColeslawOnWhiteBoardisCOOOOOOL :)

    I am guilty of not blogging enough. I also need to narrow my focus - too broad.

    Took 3 years to get my domain name http://SusanBeebe.com and now I am trying to make up for lost time!

    YOU inspire me to be a better me, thank you! :)

    PS I was really GREAT to hang out with you today at #SM2day conference in lovely Rochester, NY. Hope your travels went smoothly today! Sleep well :)
  • deniseclark
    Great post. People forget the basics sometimes. I'm just getting ready to start a blog and I will have these tips close by to help remind me! The showing up and delivering was part of what held me back for awhile. But, now I am ready to go.
  • deniseclark
    Type your reply...
  • I liked your point about blogging being about interaction. It is more than just posting and waiting/hoping for comments.
  • Great post, and a point that can't be reiterated often enough.

    Writers write.

    Bloggers blog.

    Whether you're serving a large community or a small one, in the end it's just that simple.
  • Great advice.

    "Show up" may well be the most important bit of it, as that seems to be the biggest hurdle for most. Show up and you're past 99% of people already.
  • kathrynlang
    Great tips. Today is actually my feed day - I'm visiting the blogs in my feed and commenting on many of them. I read some where ;) that I need to spend 12 times more of my time doing for others than for self.

    I especially appreciate that you used the stewardship metaphor. I had not looked at my blogs in that manner before now and it will definitely make me more conscious of how I treat them.
  • Rod
    Great post Chris. It really comes down to what you want to achieve with your blog. If you're want to develop it into something valuable you have to treat it like it has value and give value to your readers. Being consistent is definitely a big part of that along with the other great points listed here.

    I try to deliver value by sticking to a schedule, aka an editorial calendar. I even created a 17 minute video showing my readers How to Create an Editorial Calendar for their Blog - http://www.rodkirby.com/archives/1720

    Great post again, sir!
  • Jeremi Griggs
    Really great stuff, as always. I, like so many others, struggle with consistently posting. Blogging is new to me, and so many times I neglect finishing a post or dismissing it outright because, by the time I finish and read what I wrote, it either seems irrelevant or incomprehensible. I realize the only way to improve is to be diligent, which you have again inspired me to do.

    Thanks
  • lomaprietapottery
    Good advice - now if I would only follow it! Think I'll print it out and put it where I will see it daily.
  • True but I found that having Chris' blog open in one of my browser windows where I can see it is usually motivation enough. :)
  • Loved it - and the timing was perfect, as I've been trying to emphasize to the "powers that be" that blogging is serious work, needs predictibility and quality. I sent your post to them as 3rd party source back up to what I've been saying. So glad you blogged about that today!
  • Chris,
    You are always giving us great ideas. In my daily life, I always make room to read your posts. I learn so much from you. You are right about creating discipline. People do rely on you and its very important to keep at it.
    Thanks
    Michelle
  • That's why I write them, Michelle, because you give me time. It's very very valuable to me.
  • I'm so sorry I read this today. Here I've been patting myself on the back for getting out one post a week. And the reaction to last Friday's (http://bit.ly/3xC1bQ) was so good I actually DID think it earned me a hall pass.

    But I bow to the master. You are right. As Woody Allen says, "Showing up is 90%." Now off to write something for today. Damn!
  • You get points for launching. Baby steps. : )
  • On the "showing up" part ... I'm doing the "NaBloPoMo" (http://www.nablopomo.com/) challenge this month ... that's "National Blog Posting Month" (slightly mis-named at it happens every month, and is an obvious take-off on NaNoWriMo), which has the rather minimal goal of posting something every day for the month. As I typically post 20-25 days a month, this wasn't much of a stretch, but it still is a reminder to open up that screen and crank out some text!

    Obviously, the other points are things to work on over time.

    - @btripp
  • - I really needed this. I might need to print it to remind myself when I think. . . Oh, I'll get to it tomorrow. That's the trouble with having a bit of Adult ADD. :) I get A LOT done, but I am easily distracted by anything new. (You've seen Nemo? There's a blue fish called Dori, and she'll suddenly go "OOOo something shiny!" and forget what she was doing? - This is how it is with me and technology stuff, there's always something new and fabulous to test! And you're right, part of being a good business person is also stewardship / steadiness.) Thanks for this, it really helps being reminded.

    P.S. Yes, the site Julien last posted about, is VERY entertaining. I was going to try out the reddit tip the oatmeal guy posted about before I commented on Julien's post. At first site, it's very entertaining, but I wanted to let him know if it works for us. . . in the masses. :)
  • Thank you Chris for your valuable input - I want to have useful content and be informative to my readers, but maybe I have struggled too much in worrying if I was going to be found useful instead of just going with my heart. No more I tell you. Thanks
  • Discipline is so critical to success, not just to blogging but for all walks of life. Too bad most bloggers lack it, thus the 90% drop off after a few months of blogging.
  • Thanks for writing this -- I think that the discipline, the "show up" message is essential, and one that many of us can stand improvement in. The real message, though, is that blogging is not a whimsical, easy, "anybody can do it" way of writing. We have been fooled into believing that low technical barriers to entry make this an easy thing to do, but one must work hard and be a real student of their genre in order to be a truly good, truly valuable, truly contributory blogger.
  • spencesmith
    Alright. this is a great reminder of why we blog and should stay consistent to our readers. Thanks Chris.
  • Well, I thought I was doing better, but clearly, I still have a lot to learn. Thanks for the leadership Chris.
  • bkjrecruiter
    Show up.... Seems simple, but very hard for most.... Totally inspired by this post to start my day! YAHOOOOOOOO! Brian-
  • thomasrector
    True that, Chris. I feel I have disipline...until my self-imposed deadline is staring me in the face and I start to sweat. No need. I can be myself with my community. Thanks for your encouragement. I love you man.
  • Good tips here, especially for someone like myself who is just getting started. I think discipline is key as well as persistence. You have to just keep at it and know that it's not an easy road. This makes it extremely important to be writing about something you truly care about and have a passion for.
  • Thank you for your worthy advice. I met some fellow SysAdmins in a Blogging BoF at last weeks LISA'09 conference. I started my new blog over the weekend. I'm just starting to define and lay out what this blog will be. Your comments are helpful. And I find it helpful to see how others are using WordPress (theme and such). I'll be back for more.
  • kylemcguffin
    Thank you Chris. I just started blogging for a group of business professionals and you provide some great points to follow. I have a technology sales background. I'm really enjoying the interaction and commenting . Consultative Sales and Sales Management Professionals of Canada. Please check it out love to get your perspective. We are on likedin and facebook. Make it a great day!
  • Chris, I'll echo what Clay Hebert said in the comments so well:

    "It's like you climbed inside my head and articulate the struggle I feel when it's 10pm and I haven't done my daily post yet."

    What really has been jumping out at me lately is the importance of both discipline and inspiration.

    Discipline + Inspiration is an unbeatable combination IMHO.

    Regarding the latter (inspiration), here's a little something I'd like to share with you and the community, Chris:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK5cTFHc_9E
  • And write more than you have to when feeling inspired
  • I'm mad at myself for not putting that tip in the post. I do that all the time. I put a few post-dated posts in there for safekeeping.
  • This is a good idea. Blogging software lets you write and post date the message, you could blog ahead. However, you'd have to make sure your message won't be stale by the time it's actually shared.
  • "You might blog for passion and whim. If so, this blog post isn’t for you."

    I disagree with your statement. At the moment my blogging helps me discover my passions. My goals are to be more transparent and accountable. Yet, I feel this blog post IS for me.

    To me, blogging is helping to put myself out there.

    Show up: Since restarting my blog, I have been working on setting a consistent schedule. What has led me astray is reading other blogs and twitter. I spend lots of time reading/learning, but not much doing.

    Deliver Value: This one is probably my biggest hurdle. Because of this, my blog tends to be classified as personal. I make an attempt to deliver value with my posts, but sometimes it does not happen.

    Improve: I do this by reading other blogs and twitter. While figuring out where I want to go next, I am constantly learning from those who are doing it well, such as you.

    Clarify your desire: I would like to have discussions in my blog. Once I begin delivering better value, I'm sure there will be more discussion.

    Do your part: I comment on blogs only when I feel I have something to add. I have commented on a few of your posts (this one included). I also share what others are saying by retweeting. I'm sure I could do better.

    Thank for your post. Enjoy reading your stuff.
  • Nice comment Chris, especially the last part! I have started the discipline part of blogging and using twitter to share. Thanks for the insight, good food for thought.
  • Great suggestions, thank you! In terms of discipline, I try to plan ahead when I can and get posts scheduled out in advance, especially when I know I'm going to have a busy week, etc. That requires discipline sometimes to write in advance (and then I get all antsy and want to post everything!), but it typically works for me and helps to ease that daily discipline a little.
  • Thank you for continually pushing us to raise the bar.

    As someone just now beginning to execute on my blog efforts, I'm realizing more and more that it's a self *publishing* platform that needs to be treated as such. Schedules, deadlines, and Editorial Calendars are all the norm in the traditional publishing world - these best practices transfer directly to blogging if one's goals are to provide useful information your readers care about and to build an engaged community.

    Discipline, participating, and dreaming big are the three values driving me.

    Again - thanks for helping us all become more.
  • When I first started my blog, I just blogged whenever. Obviously I didn't get it. Then I told myself I needed a schedule and that I'd blog x amount per days on those days. That discipline was the best advice I could have ever given myself because I've stuck with it and my audience (as tiny as it is) has come to expect it.

    However, I do have a question. I know that there will be those "barely functional" days, but say today is my day to post on my blog, and it's a crazy hectic day (as you can imagine). Is it better to just hold off until the next day to post so it can be better written/looked over, etc? Or should you stick with your schedule regardless?

    Thanks, Chris!
  • Elizabeth, as a fellow blogger I know my suggestion would be to "just do it" Nine times out of ten your post is better than what you think anyway, and the discipline of sticking to it regularly is a habit you don't want to break. And remember, your audience size is quality over quantity. Sometimes "tiny" works!
  • Thanks for the encouragement (and moderate guilt trip), best finish off some of those drafts and queue them up for posting!
  • man, can I lie. Sometimes I just feel like I am stuck in the routine of putting something up to appease the notion of Showing up. But I think that Delivering value and Doing your Part is critical because they kind a feed off each other and the mantra - Content is King is dependent on this.
    Personally I need to get my blog hosted to take it to the next level; not templates etc
    That will certainly improve it.
    Nice one
  • The discipline of showing up, delivering value, and improving are vitally important. Without these three, you can't create or share something valuable, and do it sustainably. About a month ago, I struggled to meet a goal of a post per week, but I've been exceeding that goal to two per week since practicing your generous advice in How to Blog Almost Every Day (10/10/09). "Get the post up fast, not perfect. You can edit later if you have to" is a game changer for me. Thank you Chris.
  • Great points. In the last 12 months I had 3 posts per week, every week. I even wrote a plugin to help keep with this schedule, it's called blog audit. People often forget that blogging is just a medium. You can use it for expressing only passion, only temporary impulse, or you can use it to build and consistently deliver value.

    I would also add to this point: measure your own work. Constantly. Looking at others it's ok, but measuring your own work is crucial. Not only for improving your writing, as you already stated, but for evaluating your brand impact and audience. If your brand grows, so does your responsibility.
  • Jim Matorin
    New to your blog. Your insight has validated some of the blogging practices I have subscribed to this past year. Re: Show up - I would like to add: a regular schedule is good, but respect your audiences time. I say this, because sometimes I find myself deleting those that practice TMI.
  • Yet another great post from you and one I needed to hear today as a reminder to be more consistent. I appreciate all you do here and love reading your work. Thank you so much for the contributions you make and how you point us in directions to get better at what we do.
  • human3rror
    exactly. without question. invest! work hard!
  • In addition to your dead-on comments about the importance of regularity and the connection with the audience (I do a daily newsletter), i have found that writing, like any kind of human endeavor, gets better with practice. The discipline of writing regularly is no different than the discipline of practicing a musical instrument, performing some kind of workout ahead of an athletic event, or even rehearsing before a speech/presentation. You can do all of these at some level without practice - but practice, regular practice, is what allows you to improve, enhance, and perhaps one day perfect your craft. Some days the muse is more cooperative than others, but regularity, in my experience, makes it easier to coax her "out" (I also do a weekly post/column).
  • Thanks for the great points and the gentle reminder to stay on task with a blog. Love the "hall pass" comment- so true!
  • As an extraordinary community builder, I appreciate the tips that you are sharing here for all of our benefit. As a sporadic blogger, your call to Stewardship and discipline really resonated with me. There is an element of taking responsibility for the communities we choose to participate in which may not always be apparent (to me anyway). I also very much appreciate the sense of presence you call for as we write ... or for that matter "show up" in life.
  • clayhebert
    Thanks, Chris. Once again it's like you climbed inside my head and articulate the struggle I feel when it's 10pm and I haven't done my daily post yet. Then I worry about trying to balance quality vs. quantity. It would be so easy to just post something quick or link to something and comment but it doesn't feel genuine if I don't put some thought & effort into it.

    I'm constantly amazed at your balance of quality and consistently. Thanks for setting the bar so high.
  • There are days when we all struggle with discipline, but I think the even larger struggle is often with time. Juggling priorities at work, doing all you can to be the best parent possible, hopefully even squeezing in time for some exercise or personal renewal... they all add up to a very full calendar.

    Your post is one of the best summaries I've seen for why we need to make it work anyway. Thanks Chris... again!
  • gretchenramsey
    Farmers. Brilliant. Readers depend on our writing -- our crop-- to fuel inspiration. I've backed away from frequent blogging concerned over losing the thought in overwhelming content. Your post shifted my opinion. Off to harvest the fields...
  • Thanks for sharing these great insights Chris. I think most people realize we can't always give our "best" day in and day out, but it starts with the discipline. My social media commenting far outweighs my blogging, and while I don't want to come across as being "that guy", I will try to sprinkle an invite here and there whenever commenting, and when its appropriate to the topic.

    Joseph
    @RepuTrack
  • kennethlim
    I've tried to keep a schedule for blog posts. For 2.5 years, it's been once a month, which gave me ample time to think and prepare for my posts.

    Since this year, I've gone to twice a month (second Thu and last Tue) to keep myself committed.
    I also tend to write my blog posts well in advance so I can take the time to review my posts to see if I like the content and if my readers would like the content.
  • Chris, I'm disciplined, I am learning how to direct it more effectively though. I tend to shift my focus from time to time. It's about finding flow. I've revamped my blog recently so I haven't had the time to post, which is OK. Now that I've improved it visually it's time to get back to consistent posting.

    On a side note I woke up at 4:44 AM today and started the day with a blog post too. (after meditation of course)
  • Chris - Lately I've been learned about the value of sheer brute force in building my own business. I was in D.C. on Monday and tonight I'll be in NYC (nothing compared to your continental workdays) You latest posts have served as sustenance in my own travels so I just wanted to say thanks. Be safe and drink lot's of H20.
  • Such a truthful post. I've heard so many times that excellence and success are more about perspiration than inspiration. May we all be better disciplined.
  • Thanks for the summary. Great stuff. How true is this- the most important leader to lead is MYSELF!! It's all these questions that I need to ask myself daily and have the courage to seek the answer and act upon it. Really this is a very nice post on Discipline and the Bloggers Opportunity..
  • Ros
    Oooh, you've been reading my 'not updated anywhere near enough to be useful to anyone' blog. Now to turn all those saved 'draft' blog ideas into actual content :)
  • Rod
    Don't let that blog slip out of your fingers Ros! Get those drafts and turn them into great content!
  • julialindsey
    Great post. I have the discipline down. But I can be so focused on being disciplined that my quality can suffer. What a balance act life can be.
  • Rod
    Hi, Julia, never sacrifice quality for consistency. I would rather you write when it's right than put out something you're un-proud of consistently.
  • I agree. I think that a lot of people miss out on a lot of terrific opportunities in life because the don't have the discipline to drive on and do the right thing. Not just with blogging, but in many areas of life.

    I'm in the military so when you mention discipline, I think that my training comes to mind. You have have discipline to win a battle. The same is generally true online. If we want to win the struggle for success then it's vital that we have the self-discipline to keep doing the right thing.
  • Rod
    First of all, Nicholas, happy Veterans day, thank you for all you do in the military! And second of all, I couldn't agree with you more, "If we want to win the struggle for success then it's vital that we have the self-discipline to keep doing the right thing." Keep making it happen man!
  • wordsdonewrite
    Chris,

    I love your five points, especially #5. "Adding value to the ecosystem", as you put it, is so important. So many people just promote themselves and their blogs, yet don't do nearly enough promotion of others.

    I try to comment on others' blogs whenever I can (and if I have something somewhat relevant to say), because as a blogger, I know the value of a comment. It's evidence that someone stopped by, they liked what you wrote, and were thoughtful enough to support you in your efforts. I tend to think of those who leave comments as good cyberspace citizens; someone with good blog etiquette.

    And, in closing, I know I'm up late, but what's with the guys milking the cows in this post? Is that just there to see if we're paying attention? I promise you, you ALWAYS have my full attention, Mr. Brogan! ;->

    Amber @wordsdonewrite

    http://wordsdonewrite.blogspot.com/
  • Rod
    Promoting others is definitely a big part of blogging. However, don't forget to promote your readers. Those people who take the time to read your posts and give you their undivided attention. I typically do this by including their comments in follow-up posts or pointing to resources they share. It's the circle of giving and it always comes back to you.
  • wordsdonewrite
    Absolutely! Good point, Rod!
  • Very funny Amber, although I did wonder until the lines “they come to accept the flow of your efforts. Farmers have this relationship with their systems. It shows stewardship" The cows expect the farmer to milk them come what may, and he doesn't disappoint. So, when it comes to blogging, you're expected to keep it up, no excuses.

    @ Chris Brogan: Did I get it right, Chris?

    I also agree with Amber wholeheartedly about being good cyberspace citizens. Chris Brogan gets a regular if not daily visit because of the useful content that I have come to value highly. My take is that, without discipline, nothing ever works right. "Every day it's lines" works for me and I find the readers expect this of me.
  • wordsdonewrite
    David, that is a pretty good guess on the cows. I'll buy that. I actually didn't connect that reference with the photo, but I think you're probably right.

    Just one last question: Am I the cow or are my readers the cows???? :->
  • The readers are the cows and you are the farmer :)
  • wordsdonewrite
    Drat. I'd rather be the cow. (Thanks for your kind and wise analysis! You're a doll!)
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