Blog as I Say, Not as I Blog
So, it's been a long time since I've written a post... a really really long time...
I know blogging can be very fruitful for the kingdom and for business, so I'm ready to give it another try.
I once got some great blogging advice from a pro, the Nester . She said not to worry about how often I blog, and that "it depends on the purpose of your blog" how often you should post.
And even though all bloggers who blog about blogging (couple of my favorites: ProBlogger & Michael Hyatt) would say that the more you post, the higher your traffic will be, Nester's tip made me feel better about myself... AND... I haven't posted since.
So, while I agree that you should write when you have something worth saying and that quality is more important than quantity, 11 months is just too long. So, today I'm going to try and get started again, and I'm kicking it off with four blogging tips that I have yet to follow myself.
1. Find your blogging cadence, and be consistent.
If you are serious about keeping and growing a blog, I don't recommend 11 month breaks.
One post a week is a good starter pace and if you are able to post more often, that's even better. I'd recommend taking advantage of drafts and scheduling so you can give yourself some breathing room. And like the Nester said, the cadence of your blog should really reflect the purpose of your blog. Leading coupon bloggers post dozens of times a day but many brand blogs do great with once a week or less.
2. Have a purpose for your blog.
It's hard to stay motivated to write if you lose sight of the purpose of your blog.
And it's hard to stay focused with your content if you lose sight of why you are writing.
Define a purpose/mission for having a blog and write it down somewhere you can easily refer to. A purpose will help you write more consistently and write better. ProBlogger starts off his "31 Days to Build a Better Blog" with having you write out an elevator pitch for your blog. This is a great idea and will help you to effectively share about it when people ask.
Once again, I'm a hypocrite because I have not done this yet. Coming soon...
3. Set goals for your blog.
Your goals should reflect your purpose.
They can be around sales referrals, blog traffic, subscribers, number of posts, social shares, or whatever matters to you and gets you closer to your purpose.
Write them down and set some dates to check back.
I set goals with just about everything in my life... and I have just set a goal to set goals for this blog too. 
Most people who blog fall short of meeting their original expectations (this is my 3rd or 4th try...) So, set realistic expectations.
4. Find a blog accountability partner.
Find someone else that understands your goals, will read your blog and help keep you focused. Someone you can trust to be tough with you if you need it.
I work with many professional bloggers, have read several books on blogging and help run a leading blog community for Christian women with multiple posts a day... but I can't seem to keep a blog myself!
What ideas can you give me to help me keep it going this time? I need some help!
be quick to hear
James 1:19
"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;..."
Do you really listen to people?
I think one of the ways we can love people best is by truly listening to them, being quick to hear and slow to speak. Focusing on their words, not our own thoughts, and listening for their heart.
seriously, lets all decide to never pull the phone out during a date again...
These days inboxes, cell phones, tweets, notifications and multitasking make it easy to be very distracted, all the time. Not to mention the selfish nature of the human race that would like to turn every conversation into one about ourselves.
I believe the discipline of listening is key to personal and business relationships as well as consumer and social media marketing.
Not to mention... prayer.
With friends, co-workers, my wife and with God - I find myself being quick to speak and slow to listen. Forgive me.
This is something I'm working on, and I challenge you to do the same.
Remember that the person standing or sitting in front of you is always the most important in the world at that moment. Make them feel that way.
leaders are heretical
This picture reminds me to break the rules. Although I'm almost certain its been through Photoshop...
Leaders are heretical. But no one ever changed the world by following the rules.
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs that conflicts with established dogma.
By definition, there is nothing wrong with heresy. But, it's certainly a dirty word to many people.
Maybe it shouldn't be.
Jesus was "controversial" and represented "novel change to a system of beliefs". He shocked the pharisees on a regular basis.
Looking back on history, most leaders and change makers could also be called heretics.
Todays leaders must not be afraid to break the rules or they may not be leaders at all. In fact, to lead today, you must become comfortable with challenging the status quo. This is especially true because of the fast paced change we experience around us.
If we fail to change we get stuck in the past and what worked in the past will likely fail in the future.
It's easy to "go with the flow" and nod your head when everyone else does. But, I challenge you; don't settle. If you believe something can be better, different, new, then say something about it. Do something about it.
In a world or ruts, routines and robots, step out of the system of normal, toward your vision for the future, and by doing so, you'll be stepping into leadership.
You may be a heretic, but if you are bringing needed change to the world around you... thank you for your heresy.
The world needs more heretics, contrast, change, and people that take risks because they believe in something that's worth the risk.
No one ever changed the world by doing the same thing everyone else was doing.
Seth Godin does a fantastic job talking about heretical leadership in one of my favorite books, Tribes.
