When I started blogging back in 2008, I was not sure what will I achieve with this blog; as it was only for my passion. In past 6 years, I have met numerous people online and offline who are somehow related to blogging or want to start blogging. Recently I got an Email from someone who said he has been thinking to start blogging for almost an year, but he couldn’t start. He is in urgent need of money, and now he wants to learn blogging. Sounds like your own story?
Let me give you reality check with this article:
The most common reason majority of people wants to blog is because of passion or fame or money. I often get emails from people saying that they want to be a blogger but they are in some situation that they can’t blog. Most of the messages or mail which I get started like this:
- I want to start a blog but..
- I have a great idea which I want to work upon but..
- I’m working online from years and had few websites which failed. Now I want to start a blog but..
If you have ever felt the same way at any point of your life then read on; as I’m going to tell you one honest truth which might change the way you are looking at to reach your goal for creating a successful blog. It doesn’t matter what fascinates you to start blogging or working online, be it money; be it fame or be it because you like the concept, the fact is you are still one of those who is thinking that I want to do it and one day I will do it. You are one of those who is waiting for the perfection from long, and you can’t start because you find it hard to start without being perfect.
Now read on to know the reality because I have been at your place once in my life, and I knew what to do to get out of this loop.
Let’s kill the but…:
“If and but” is nothing more than an excuse. It’s an excuse to ourselves and an excuse to people around us to tell them I have big dreams but I can’t do it because of some random problem. Now ask yourself this one thing; “have you seen anyone without a problem?”.
Be it family, be it financial or be it personal. Problems are part of the life and there are people who make excuses and there are others who knows that this is just a phase which will pass. The later one are the one who makes impossible thing possible, because they believe in one thing and that is “Hard work pays off“. All the successful people you can think of right now or know of; they are not successful because they were lucky, they are successful because they didn’t give up when everybody else did.
Technology is a limitation:
Another segment of people who knows everything about blogging but they couldn’t start because they feel they are not technically equipped. Installing WordPress blog and managing it seems like a task and it’s hard to tackle all the tech part. You are not wrong with your thoughts, because managing your own server, taking care of WordPress blog is not easy but do you know one thing; there are 60 year old people who have a self hosted WordPress blog and they are managing it like it was never a challenge. Till the time you won’t start with something, it will always be tough and if you won’t take action now it will remain impossible.
Getting back to handling self hosted WordPress blog, you are lucky to see the era where everything is available online, and people are so social that they feel happy when they help someone. Do remember, one can help you only when you want to help yourself.
You don’t know SEO or how to monetise blog:
Another most common reason I have heard from talented people is that they don’t know SEO and they can’t drive traffic. Or, they can’t make money from blogging like everyone else is doing. You are not wrong if you think like this, but you are wrong because you are comparing with others without walking in their shoes. Driving traffic and earning money from blog is easy only when you have done and passed through the initial stage of struggle and learning. You fail because you want to be perfect without learning from your mistakes. (See point one)
I have a job and I don’t have enough time:
Another category of future bloggers fall in this category, as they think that they have the skills but they can’t blog because they have full-time job. Once they are home, they are so sucked up that they don’t have enough time to blog. If you are in this category, let me tell you one story.
When I was working for a company called convergys, my timing was from 7 P.M. to 5 A.M., and I managed to create a blog that you are reading now. I did it because I accepted that I have limited time and what ever time I got, I have to learn and write. I had no one to tell the excuse of not having time, because I would be lying to myself.
One thing which you should know about entrepreneurship or Solopreneurship is; first few years might not be a jolly ride but once you work beyond your own limit, you will reach the place no one has ever imagined.
But Why Can’t make money from blogging
So far I have given you enough reasons to show you the mirror and told you the reasons that you can’t make money from the blogging, and my intention here is not to discourage you. Blogging is just one of the many ways to make money online; and you can always earn enough from CPA marketing, Services, Affiliate marketing or many other form of online marketing. The only reason I recommend blogging is because it’s a consistent source of earning and it teaches you discipline. If you are one of those who is not in the race of earning money in short time, and looking to earn money, get fame and name for yourself blogging is for you.
To earn all these 3 ingredients of life, you need just two things; vision and patience. You need to understand and accept that it’s a slow process and like one of the proverb “ Slow and steady win the race”, that’s something appropriate for you; only if you are planning to make a living out of blogging.
Everything takes time and patience and with blogging I am of course finding like everyone else, a whole lot of it and steady persistence at some aspect of it that will make it better, or at least you will learn something if it doesn’t work.
But this is like anything else in that what appears in your life is the strength and ability to maintain your INTENT. I capitalized intent because I am not referring to intention to do something. You can sit in intention to do something your whole life and not realize any manifestation at all of what you intended to do.
You can feel like you have all the things in the world standing in your way. Not enough money, not enough time, not enough energy, not enough health, not enough youth or the opposite of not enough age.
In most cases those limitations are self set, or the intent without even knowing it became the willingness to be stuck in them.
Speaking from America, but India has what? Thousands of years of history and dedication to the idea of enlightenment. What is it? Lots of people wanted it, spent their entire lives trying to get it. Some focused so hard on it they decided they had it whether they did or not. And out of all of those that tried very hard, how many can be directly pointed at where people will agree, that yes, that person achieved it? The list is pretty short compared to the number that made some effort and for many a whole lot of dedication and effort.
I know this seems like comparing apples to oranges saying that being successful at business is anything like being successful at enlightenment because it may seem like the opposite. But how you get there, if you’re going to get there is not opposite at all.
Where this coincides is the strength and focus of a persons INTENT. I doubt there is anything more difficult for a human being to achieve then absolute enlightenment because it takes a absolute intent, never giving up to have a chance of achieving it. It has to become everything to you and that will move every obstacle that is in your way if your intent is strong enough and unwavering enough.
I am not saying abandon your jobs, your families, all recreation, all rest because your blog must be everything or you won’t succeed.
But the INTENT has to be strong enough, persistent enough that it moves everything out of the way that shouldn’t be there anyhow, moves you to action and you can keep that intent strong and the persistent action going.
Thank You Sir,
I just realised why i failed…. after reading your micro niche blog i still preparing myself to create a micro niche blog, as you said the word “but” is the reason why i am not creates yet….after reading this i have learned lots of thing….i juz found your blog accidently…but nw im a reagular reader of your blog….anyway thanks for sharing this great article…
First of all,Harsh i really LOVE your blog.I think whatever points you mentioned are absolutely true.I have gone through each and every point but like you mentioned, IF AND BUT is all excuses, it is better to do something rather than wasting your time and thinking of just doing it..
Awesome article! This is something like catalyst that will definitely fuel energy to write article. And also clarify all doubts about process to start blogging. I love word “If and But”. If we can accept than nothing is impossible. Thank you Harsh for sharing motivational article.
Super Like Harsh, Highly inspired with your writing, yes as you said it rightly “Blogging is a consistent source of earning and it teaches discipline” This is why i entered in blogging and do it what ever time it take too… Happy Blogging.
Hello Harsh ,
This post impress me , But how i can divide time to blog and rest daily activity.
An awesome post to read! What a great art of motivating u have. Really appreciable ! After this post i think i will be able to kill my reason for not posting .
Hi Sir,
I am highly inspired by you , I had tried to become a full time youtuber but my extremly hard worked youtube channel has got 2 false community guidelines strike and my moniterization is suspended for my channel . It was the only way on which i was making my full time living with my wife. i am in need of a quick earning source , hence i started a blog but even after writing 30 post i recive only 100 views even that traffic referred from my waste youtube channel . Please tell me sir , do starting a website with single keyword and low competition work , so that i start earning in 1 month. plz help
Can you tell me if you situation has improved??….Did you get your Youtube ban lifted?
Hi Harsh
I have been reading your blogs but this seems to an eye opener. I was surprised while reading and thought ‘How did you come to know…I never told you, but same thing is happening with me’.
Hi Harsh,
I liked the way you wrote the post and explained it so well. I have some friends saying the same lines… I would start a blog next week, then week is changed to month and so on.
I blog just to gain some learning and nothing else. I love to connect with bloggers and their ideas.
I have some blogger friends who have a 9 to 6 job and they blog in the evening/night. So if someone has passion they will definitely find a way.
Even in my case, I have my college from 9 to 4 and I read or write something in the evening. Talking about SEO and monetizing, there are so many online forums or sites/blog waiting to teach you the same. ShoutMeLoud is one of those blogs which are helping newbie bloggers and even the pro ones. 🙂
The statement,”here are 60 year old people who have a self hosted WordPress blog and they are managing it like it was never a challenge”, in my opinion it is inspiring but at the same time we cannot compare a 60 year olds ability with the younger ones. Everyone has their own will, determination, ability and knowledge.
I loved the concluding paragraph, in which you wrote… Vision and patience is what one needs. That’s so true.
Thanks Harsh for this post. I am sure the people who had doubts about starting a blog might have find this helpful.
you are really right harsh people should have patience and passion to become successful….nice article
Good analysis by your side. why people are not successful in this field. i’m also one of them. trying to getting success and hopeful getting success in near feature that make money from blogging.
Thanks for Sharing
Because of Blog posts like this. i love your blog very much .Daily i spend almost 1 hours here with shoutmeLoud.
Learning Learning Learning
Thanks for your motivational words.
Hello Harsh,
I accept that I was blogging for money not for passion. So I was failing. Now I am blogging only for knowledge, passion and for my net recharge only. Because my parents can’t submit my charges. In these days I am earning and learning. Because I never think that I can’t do. Every time I feel that if he can do blogging and he can learn then why I can’t.
And main point of my knowledge if ShoutMeLoud. Because it is my college of blogging education.
Regards
Monu Kumar
Harsh bro,awesome this article to me & you said important things what can make a solution for the people who are hesitated to create a blog.I have learned a lot of things here and I am also your regular shout.
Hi Harsh,
Thank u very much for this post. This is motivating. I my self was thinking of starting of self hosting blog but couldn’t do it. But now I think such a fool I was to stop me from doing this by thinking all the reason above.
In next one month I’ll have a new blog.
thank you
Hi Harsh,
I am the one who daily reads your articles. This article is eye opening for each one looking for starting a blog. I am a full time working guy, but I manage to work on my blog on daily basis. I do not do it just for making money rather I do it because I love to do it. You are my inspiration for blogging. I will follow you in my entire blogging journey. Thanks for this kind of valuable post….
Hello; all you have said is true. everyone has challenges of one kind or another that make blogging or running an online business difficult, but many people still manage to do so anyway. me, i’m a totally blind blogger who not only managed to set up a word press blog but i have a second blog that was originally on bloodspot that i moved to word press all by myself. i record videos although not as often as i would like. i read lots of blogs, share posts, leave comments, and manage several social media networks. and what you said about the helpful nature of the internet eespecially the blogging community is so true. if people see you need help and that you are sincere in your efforts to build something they will show up and offer to help you get there. just be friendly and listen when you get advice or say thank you when you get assistance. if you need someone to help you along the way I’m here, max the blind blogger
Thanks For The Article Harsh
The Points Are Considerable If You Want to Be A sucessfull Blogger
Aditya
Nice post Harsh , and after reading your post i also killed the but that usually used to appear in my mind