Transform your mindset and go far with your blog
“No matter how far a person can go the horizon is still way beyond you.” (Zora Neale Hurston)
I mentioned this quote on Instagram recently as it reminded me of something a client had asked me. Can you still go far with your blog without losing faith that you are doing the right thing? I know through my work how many people (and not just bloggers) worry about investing huge amounts of time and effort knowing that success always feels out of reach.
It’s true that authentic blogging is a slow burn, and it’s so easy to feel like you’re not getting anywhere. I am somehow not surprised that 95% of bloggers abandon their blogs in the first 6 months. (Source: The New York Times)
We may then tell ourselves that we don’t have the time, are not good enough to succeed, or that technology and SEO are too big a barrier. Certain mindsets can really cloud our thinking.
The consequences of self-doubt
Women can be so clever on one hand, creating all the time. From blog content and books, to courses, services and products. But the same women may still have doubts whether it’s really worth it. Because we need a lot of self-belief in our abilities to keep going.
Writing a blog is the place where for many creative women all the other strands of our lives come together. Where our experiences, values and beliefs merge. Unless you blog purely for your own pleasure, at some point you will wonder how far you can take it. And perhaps also, whether you are able to get there.
Because so much is caught up in our writing, any thoughts of failing can feel upsetting. What if you had set your heart on something else in the past which failed? That experience can make you doubt whether it’s actually worth continuing. We often make choices instinctively based on previous experiences.
NLP can help you go far
NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) offers some great techniques that you can apply to any goal. Here are just a few:
- Visualising the end goal, making it something you can “see” feel and hear
- Breaking the big goal into smaller steps and actions is a great way to keep you motivated too
- Asking what stops you from moving forward and looking for empowering ways around it
NLP can also offer ways to strengthen self-belief in your ability to go far with your blog. All these strategies work really well for people who enjoy having a structured process that helps them to stay motivated. Even when you have previously worried about the goal being unattainable. Or when you feel overwhelmed by having too many difficult things to do.
Let your purpose help you go far with your blog
Some people know exactly what they want. They know their “why” and feel so passionately engaged right from the start, they don’t need to set goals or have a detailed plan. Knowing your purpose is like having your own inner compass.
Imagine getting up every morning knowing you will do something without fail that takes you closer to what you want. It sounds inspirational doesn’t it.
Personally I love following this kind of approach. I first heard about it from Leo Babauta of Zenhabits 13 years ago. Although as a trained coach I was sceptical at first. Achieve new projects without setting goals? It took me some time to understand the power of aligning them with your purpose and combining them with the right habits.
Have you ever thought about your purpose? The deeper reasons why you do what you do?
If you haven’t given it much thought, why not try using “What is my WHY” as a prompt to explore in your journal! Is your blog part of your bigger purpose? And if yes, how?
Trust and mindfulness can guide you along the way
This is another technique I like using. It means being fully present in the moment which stops you from worrying about the horizon and what you can’t see. Most of the time we rush from moment to moment without ever thinking about what is happening right now. Or to be grateful for what is good right now.
One of my favourite summer activities is to walk barefoot on a sandy beach, to feel the sand and water between my toes. It’s my metaphor for making the most of a moment knowing that sooner or later the incoming tide will wash my footsteps away and I’ll be somewhere else.
Feeling truly aware of your current experience, can leave you feeling positive and calm. Transfer the principle to another project (i.e. your blog) and invariably you will start doing something that moves it forward.
I learned about mindfulness during a difficult time in my life way before I understood my purpose. It helped me to take on new projects like training as a coach 20 years ago (eek!) or starting my first blog in 2007. I had no idea back then where all these journeys would lead.
Another way to look at it is that trust can make it easier to move forward when you can’t see the horizon. Being trusting gets you to look at things with an open heart and see things without judgement.
Wouldn’t you love to feel more engaged in the journey rather than worry about the destination? If you are new to this, you could try an affirmation like “I trust that I will do my best and what will be will be”.
You could also explore another question in your journal: “What is true for me now? Or how can I trust that I am where I am meant to be?”
You win some and you lose some
There is loss and gain in everything we do. Sometimes we make a choice and another time a decision is thrust upon you. It often means giving up something along the way, especially the idea of certainty.
If anything, the pandemic has taught us that very few journeys take us from where we are to where we want to be in a straight line. There is a high degree of uncertainty in everything we do.
These are just a few powerful mindset strategies that could help you to go far with your blog or any other project for that matter. As we all have different personalities, beliefs and views of life, I hope you find the one that suits you.
Pictures by Unsplash
