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sk yourself this question? How persistent are you? Seriously, don’t just answer it without thinking about it. In many instances in my life I haven’t been persistent. My old roommate used to hassle me for the fact that I would start down a new road to a hobby and it would be a two week endeavor and I’d have some excuse for not fighting through it. As much as I hate to admit, he was right. I want to explore the power of persistence in two areas of life.
Persistent Blogging
As a blogger it can be really tough to keep up the motivation. Sometimes the readership isn’t growing as fast as you’d like. You write your most brilliant post (in your mind), and there are no comments. You look at your feed count and it wavers back and forth. Do you ever wonder what sets the A-list apart from the average blogger? Sure they might write great content, but I honestly don’t think they are any more talented or naturally gifted than the up and coming bloggers.
The major difference between you and them is time. They have had 1-2 years of time to put into their blog. When you think about it 1-2 years is nothing when you consider the potential payoff at the end. The intrinsic rewards of personal satisfaction alone make me think that alone makes it worthwhile to continue down this path. Nobody becomes an expert at anything overnight. Natural talent exists, but persistence has a payoff. You may linger in obscurity for a while, but fighting through the desire to give up is what will set you apart from everybody else out there.
Persistent Surfing
I’ll be upfront with you. I have literally zero natural athletic ability. If anybody called me athletic I would laugh in their face and tell them “wow you really don’t know me that well do you.” I guess the only athletic thing about me is that I’m really stubborn. When my old roommate questioned whether I’d stick with it, it pissed me off. So, I might have done it just to prove him wrong.
Last summer when I was living in San Diego, I would go to the local surf shop, rent a board, paddle out and look like a total idiot in the water. Then I would come to a bar and eat. One of those times some guy sitting next to me said “Go 50 times and you’ll get it. By that time even if you don’t get it, you’ll have too much time and energy invested to give up, so you’ll just force it and you will get the hang of it.” The first 8 times I couldn’t even stand up on the surfboard. Most people actually stand in their first lesson, or at least it appears that way to me when I watch the beginners learning to surf. Somewhere around the 10th time I caught my first wave.
From Persistence to Payoff
The transition from persistence to payoff is a truly magical moment. When you look back at all the blood, sweat and tears that it took to get there it all becomes worth it. You never regret for one moment the fact that you worked your way through that uphill battle. I have a life coach that I work with from time to time and one thing that he says “The payoff is worth anything you have to go through in order to get there.” Maybe I should put that on my wall as a reminder to keep pushing on all of my goals.
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Awesome article!
Genuinely really enjoyed reading that…
I often think about what really sets the medium and small blogs apart from the top ones, even when a lot of the content the medium blogs produce is awesome. There must be more than persistence though, as many of these medium blogs have been around for years…
Simon | Teenius´s last blog ..Food For Thought: What’s Important?!
Yea, I think it’s all about just learning the steps. And as time grows so will you as a blogger. For me example I’ve learned so much in 8 months from blogging and I just wonder what I will know when I’ve been blogging for 2 years.
I’ve been around only for 8 months and I still feel like I’m lingering in obscurity but there’s a passion inside for my subject that is driving me
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..IBS, ADHD, and Uphill Career Battles
Really interesting point you’ve got here matE!
I agree with what is said. Persistence, or more importantly, having a good amount of content, makes you appear more trustworthy and more of an ‘authority’ (yes, I know, this is a very overused word of late!).
Great blog, I’m subscribing in my reader
Keep it real man,
Nath.
Hey it’s overused because it’s important! The more valuable content you provide on your blog/website the more trusted you become as a blogger. Glad to see your subscribing to blog! Anything you need help with? Let me know.
Thanks for the kudos Nath. I think it is maybe overused, but like you said really necessary to succeed at this.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..IBS, ADHD, and Uphill Career Battles
When I first started blogging, the motivation was really high. After a while, it becomes more difficult to keep the same level of motivation. that is why you need to accept that, there will be times which will be hard and furstrating. However, the only way to beat those hard times by being more determent and having never give up attitude.
I’m different in this case. Some days I’m more pumped then ever about blogging and some days I could just care less. This is why I think it’s important to pick something your very passionate about when your blogging or…you’ll never succeed to you fullest.
I think even if you pick something you are passionate about, you will feel like that every now and then. Because, whether it is something we love or not, we do want to see some outcome. Unfortunatly, in blogging to see a good result of your hardwork can take time. This is when it gets furstrating and overwhelming. The key is not to give up and be determent. Always keep at the back your head that, you need to push yourself bit more in those kind of situations.
InternetHow Blog´s last blog ..How Would You Spend $50 More Effectively?
I totally agree. I have to admit their has been times that I’ve just wanted to give it all up and move on with my life. But then I remind myself this is my passion, and why would I want to start working for someone else again. Ya know?
Excellent post! Persistence (I commonly call it dedication but persistence is a better word) really does work.. if you keep doing it!
Shane Hudson – Be Motivational´s last blog ..Do You Pee On Your Shoes?
Glad you liked it Shane
Persistence really does pay off, for people like you and me who work their butts off all the time
nice job!
Ben Lang´s last blog ..Top 10 Blogs on Making Money from Blogging
Agreed! You really see the results in the long run if you continue being persistent with what you do.
I didn’t notice the importance of persistence until started blogging. We can’t build a great blog just overnight, and sometimes seeing our blogs growing is a worst torture. I see many bloggers out there quit in less 3 months, but when you visit a great blog, how long has it been there? More than year and even 3 years.
Phaoloo´s last blog ..How To Know Your Brand Is Stolen? Tools To Figure Out
Exactly Phaoloo, there have been many blogs that have been around 5-6 years and I think what often new bloggers try to do (Yes I’ve did this when I first started off) is try to compare your blog with other big league blogs and when you don’t see the results they have you quit.
It’s amazing that nobody sees that every blogger started off as a nobody lingering in obscurity. We forget that it took time and work to get there.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..Interviews with up and Coming Bloggers: Jenny Mick-WorkinonaRamp
Speaking of persistence, you never finished – are you a surfer or what?
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Are You Thankful For Your Blogging Community?
I wanted to add one last comment here. Most people don’t realized that successful people didn’t get that way overnight. You don’t often see the lousy parts of what they went through to get there.
Srinivas Rao´s last blog ..Announcing the launch of StokedforLife.com
Very good point! I’ve been trying to spend at least a few hours a day on my website…. and the funny thing is, because I actually ENJOY what I do, it’s not very hard at all. I feel like it comes quite naturally actually, and at the end of a long day, it’s something I sort of look forward to.
Travis´s last blog ..Understanding Comfort Zones
To be truly honest – I believe the bulk of my accomplishments were the result of sheer persistence. I’m stubborn, I don’t like to quit – when there’s a challenge I obsess until I get it. Maybe I have OCD – it bothers me when I can’t get something. When I’m looking for things, I’ll look all day, each time I want to stop, but I can’t because I know if I just keep looking – if I just keep trying – something is bound to turn up.
And because a few of my persistent efforts have been rewarded with positive results – I’ve been classically trained like Pavlov’s Dogs, to keep at it.
For me, blogging is no different, I can’t stop now…
Kiesha @ Highly Favored´s last blog . . .Be a blessing – give your best
I love this post. Persistence of course pays off. It’s hard to believe that all the time that I invested in my blog won’t pay off in the end. I have now been blogging for about a year and a half and I truly enjoy it.
Persistence is also the reason why so many people fail at blogging. There are thousands of blogs created each month yet only a few of them really make it. I think that once you have been blogging for more than 4 months you are going to keep blogging.
Julius Kuhn-Regnier´s last blog . . .The 3 Unwritten Rules of Blogging
Hey Srinivas,
This is a awesome post! I have been sleeping on it for a long time but, today im glad i took the time too read it!
This is excatly how i feel dude, i believe with persistance & hardwork you can accomplish anything hands down. You are also right no one is born a experty anything takes time and practice.
Thanks again!
God bless,
William Veasley
William Veasley´s last blog . . .How Realistic Are Your Standards
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