This is a guest post by Andrew Rondeau. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.
If you want to be a successful blogger, you need to have the right mindset. While talent and great content are important, you also need to have a lot of confidence. You need to be confident in not only yourself, but your knowledge about the niche you have chosen and your ability to provide your readers with all the information they need to know about the niche. And, although it may sound contradictory, you need to be discontent as well as confident.
Why?
Because a successful blogger can never be too comfortable with what he or she is doing. The moment you sit back and relax, your blog will go downhill. You shouldn’t just assume that your readers will automatically read everything you write. You need to write every new article as if it’s the most important piece you’ve ever written. A successful blogger is never 100% satisfied with anything he or she creates or writes.
Courage
Courage is also an important attribute. Some people can never do this for a living because they’re too shy or afraid to present their beliefs and ideas to the world. This means you should never hold back because you are afraid of what other people will think. While you should take constructive criticism into consideration, you shouldn’t let it hold you back. The whole point of blogging is to share your views with the world, and holding back undermines the reason(s) people start blogs in the first place.
Thick Skin
You shouldn’t just have courage : you should have thick skin as well. It’s unfortunate, but “trolls” are something we all have to deal with at times. People will go beyond criticism and say mean things just because they can. You need to learn not to take negative and immature comments as personal attacks. Some bloggers don’t get offended at all over trolls and laugh everything off. If you’re the type of person who gets their feelings hurt easily, you’ll either have to learn to not take negative comments seriously or not get into blogging at all.
Motivation
Motivation is another important aspect you need to have. You need to be enthused about your niche and motivated to write about it. There will be times when you experience writer’s block and have trouble maintaining focus. Still, you should try to at least come up with something, or write more than usual once you overcome your block.
You should never settle with the amount of traffic you’re getting. Even if you get thousands of unique hits a day, you need to strive for more. Do whatever it takes to get motivated. For every single day you slack, one of your competitors moves one step ahead. For every reader you disappoint, another blogger will impress. Try your best not to slack and work hard on updating your blog every single day.
Passion
Passion about your niche and blog is very important, as it will keep you going even when you’re running low on motivation. Whenever you think about giving up, think about the reasons why you wanted to be a blogger in the first place. Think about how much knowledge needs to be shared with your readers. If you ever feel burned out on the niche, look for some inspiration that’ll help you get going again.
What’s your view? Agree / disagree? What other traits are required to be a successful blogger? Share your views in the comments below.
About Author :
Andrew Rondeau is the owner of WeBuildYourBlog.com and he covers all the aspects of starting your own blog and making a blog income.
About Lee Ka Hoong
Good post.
For me, I think Motivation is the most important key point. Once you are motivated, you will be able to overcome the obstacles that you are facing. Such as lacking of courage, ‘thin skin’ and and losing passion, this all can be cure by Motivation.
Motivation makes me start blogging. :-)
Siau,
Motivation may make you start blogging but for me passion keeps me blogging!
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
Thanks for sharing. :-)
Nice post Lee, I like the “Thick Skin” tip LOL! I think to be successful in blogging you should be successful in life as well!
.-= Hesham ´s last blog ..The First Making Money Online Contest on Famous Bloggers 2010 =-.
Hesham,
I used to be mentored by a world famous internet guru and one of the first things he asked me was, “How thick is your skin? Because you are going to be abused, sworn at and hated by some people”.
I didn’t believe him at the time but he was right. I did a video a few months ago and someone commented “Bad shirt, bad haircut, ugly and stupid advice”. I was really annoyed – I was wearing my favourite shirt! LOL
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
Well, I do get easily offended sometimes, but it doesn’t happen often. For all other things, I think I have it.
Now I only need to switch to WordPress, get a domain and hosting and start my another blog about something outside the MMO and IM niche.
.-= Davor Gasparevic @ Cheap internet marketing ebooks blog´s last blog ..Niche/money making ebook #10 – How to become a bass fishing pro! =-.
Davor,
I think the ‘secret’ is not to take it personally. Many more people will ‘praise’ what you do. Good luck in your new adventure.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
Hey Lee, I think out of the above “Passion” would have to be the most important. With out passion for what you write about your blog will fail because you as are writer will loose motivation. Passion is simply essential when writing for a blog!
Link Wheels
You are so right. When you have REAL passion for your blogging niche, it’s like not working! I love my blogging business.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
All of it make us an persistent blogger, my assumption. :D
.-= Dana @ LetUpdate´s last blog ..Atahualpa 3.4.4 Configuration Part 4 =-.
I think Passion is the most important trait that we need to be a successful blogger. Laziness is my biggest enemy to develop my blog. I will try to overcome it. Thanks for sharing!
.-= Kok Siong Chen´s last blog ..Prader-Willi Syndrome – Genetic Disorder That Cause Obesity =-.
Kok,
For me, if you are lazy you have not found your REAL passion. Having REAL passion for your blogging niche will make you work long and hard until you are a success and then you can start reducing your hours.
You have REAL passion in your niche? Can you see yourself writing on the same niche in 2 years time and loving every minute of it?
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
Thick skin?
This is the first time I read a lesson about blogging with that advice and I certainly agree with it.
Not everyone will like what we talk in our blog.
People have their own belief and opinion.
.-= lunaticg´s last blog ..Mona Lisa of Rare Coins: 1913 Liberty Head nickel =-.
lunaticg
You are right – see my reply above to Hesham.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
Hi Buddy,
First off, thanks to Andrew Rondeau. I personally the mindset outline and the most comprehensive statement is the ‘Thick Skin’. Yes, yes, yes…absolutely true to most extent in life… In addition to that, we must also have the ability to absorb negativity…
Cheers…
Terrence.
Thanks!
You are right ‘absorb negativity’, move on and don’t look back.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.
I absolutely agree with this traits… This is also the first time that get an advice regarding how to maintain your blog with your character. Thanks for the info.
.-= fjordz´s last blog ..Managing My Life this 2010 =-.
fjordz
Thanks and I hope the post is of benefit.
Andrew
Most bloggers give up on their blogs due to lack of motivation, that is a result of either lack of support from audience or lack of income on the blog
ZK,
True words. Some bloggers are sucked in by the hype of blogging as an easy way to make money and when they don’t, they give up.
Passion makes youo carry on and it’s also why I would recommend someone starts blogging part-time while working full-time – if they can.
Andrew
.-= Andrew @ blogging guide´s last blog ..Free Premium Theme =-.