We agree that to be authentic means to be genuine, open, unpretentious, honest and forthright. We also agree that authenticity is good for us. But we tend to disagree on how to get there, especially when it comes to our life’s work.

With blogging, many of us hope our efforts will lead to some sort of business, book deal or profession which will align with our true calling , however like Tom said, “We tend to disagree how to get there”.

For this reason, I’ve asked Tom to join us and discuss how he found his true life calling and overcame obstacles to become the successful true calling coach and business person that he is.

Welcome Tom,

In recent weeks we’ve been discussing finding our passion and even what the our blogs and/or creations may be worth. Some bloggers don’t know where their blog will take them, but others, like Nadia of Happy Lotus are finding themselves at a crossroad.

I know you’ve been there, too. Chasing what you thought was your passion, your true life calling, only to get distracted or to start doubting yourself. With that said,

What method(s) did you use to find your “life’s work”, your authentic true life calling?

I began setting high work fulfillment standards in 1992 and I’ve kept at it, adjusting and evolving along the way. That’s key. One must get started and persist, even if your first attempt feels like only a guess.

A strong belief in the gift of unique individuality that every being is blessed with has centered my work on expressing my uniqueness.

Shortly after I began coaching in 1998 I developed a process of completing the nine components of right livelihood shown here. My clients are comfortable completing the puzzle by choosing to fill in the pieces that are most unknown to them. After establishing a baseline of these components it becomes easier to continue to tweak and clarify as you go. But it’s important to note that each individual’s process needs to be aligned with how they like to work.

Once we reach the realization we may have found our “life’s work”, fears may arise. How did you conquer your fears?

Fears are simply thoughts that have run amok. They become more gripping and powerful through our imaginations. Thus it’s obvious that fearful thoughts need to be replaced with thoughts about what you want not what you don’t want. What I used is a complete awareness process that’s most effective when using all four realms of our power.

1). Spiritually determine the deep meaning behind what you want and made sure that your thoughts are purpose-driven.

2). Intellectually become a careful observer of what you are thinking and saying and when the fears arise switch out the thought and spoken words.

3). Emotionally used EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) developed by Gary Craig.

4). Physically only take actions aligned with what you want.

Many of the readers of this blog hope to utilize their blogs and/or online presence to move closer to their dream. Knowing that, what process do you suggest they follow?

Bloggers have a built-in advantage because they can leverage their blogs as marketing vehicles. Yet I see many bloggers who write without a pre-determined purpose or with too broad of a focus. So I’d recommend the following process.

1). Use my True Calling Guidebook (free at “Big Link Rally”.com) [or click on the book] to discover your true calling. Get close and even guess if you must but decide on your strongest possibility and ride it.

2). Design and begin operating a business that honors the movement (greater community purpose) behind your calling.

3). Serve that movement by writing about your business and the movement. Remain focused on that one main concept and see what opportunities and openings develop.

4). Seize those opportunities then tweak, adjust and continue to evolve your calling as you build your business. Don’t make it more complicated than this. Retire your over-analytical mind and get into authentic play.

Tom, you are now beginning a new endeavor called the “Big Link Rally”. Can you tell us a little more about that, how it works and what you hope the outcome will be for all who participate?

It’s my theory that had we been raised with unconditional acceptance, loving recognition and affirming celebration of who we are, we would have naturally developed our gifts into prosperous and fulfilling, true calling professions and businesses.

But instead, well meaning but primarily fearful and cautious caregivers, who modeled conformity at the expense of authenticity, raised most of us.

So our natural link between authenticity and abundance did not develop because we chose culturally acceptable livelihoods lacking in fulfillment and or prosperity.

Big Link Rallies were developed on my observations working with hundreds of one-on-one career coaching clients since 1998. I’ve come to the conclusion that we can accelerate the true calling process by gathering together in authentically supportive environments designed to reconnect this life enhancing links between authenticity and abundance.

The first one will be held in Pittsburgh on January 2, 2010. The second will be a virtual event in the spring [of 2010].

I’d be willing to bet that every one of your readers is somewhat aware of at least the possibility of her or his true calling. I’d love to answer questions and guide you onto a more direct path to greater fulfillment and prosperity.

That’s the mission of my movement, so please seize this opportunity to present your greatest challenge in the form of a question.

Tom’s clients pay for his advice. Today he’s generously helping all of us at no cost.

Today’s Assignment

Do you have a question for Tom? Please feel free to leave it in the comment section.

If you don’t have a question for Tom, do you feel you’re closer to finding your true calling? Your “life’s work”? Your passion?

If so, how has the process of blogging helped?

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Disclaimer: The Big Link Rally links will take you to a site for which I am an affiliate.

Color me gone. See you later, alligator. Catch you on the flip side. Adios. Good Bye.

Everyone has their favorite saying to let others know they’re leaving.

And, that’s what I’m doing.

I’m leaving my blog (temporarily) and heading over to Jeremy Day’s Insight Writer blog for an interview.

Jeremy has been curious to know how I do it. How I get the comments I do, what advice I would give to other bloggers, plus much more.

So, I told him.

Want to know what I said?

Head on over to Insight Writer and check out the interview. Here’s the link, Interview With Barbara, Author of Blogging Without A Blog.

I’ll see you there.

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If you were to ask me, I’d say blogging is still in it’s infancy and has the ability to change how we receive/transmit news and information that’s important to us.

But, what about those who have been blogging for years? What is their thought on the future of blogging? When I interviewed Darren Rowse, author of Problogger and co-author of ProBlogger: Secrets Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income for my A.S.K. (Answers Sharing Knowledge) series, I wanted to know what he thinks and my question was:

I’ve asked Lorelle (of Lorelle on WordPress), and I’ll ask you. What do you see for the future of blogging? How will it change, and what’s the best way for a new blogger to stay abreast?

Darren answered

Blogging continues to merge with other types of sites. We’re seeing more and more bloggers start forums, add social networks, experiment with microblogging (Twitter) etc. I think this will continue to happen.

This can be a bit daunting for some new bloggers but I think my main advice would be for them to start now and to blog prolifically. You can always expand your blog later – the key is to get your foot in the door, build a readership and learn how to use the basic technologies.

Reflecting On The Answer

Darren, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to participate in this series and share your answer.

When I reread Darren’s answer, and Lorelle’s answer (in my interview with her) I am hopeful. Although blogging is changing, as Darren shared “the key is to get your foot in the door”.

Today’s Assignment

Are you happy you got into blogging when you did?

Knowing what you know now, do you wish you had started earlier?

What do you see as the future for blogging?

Please feel free to share your viewpoint in the comment section.

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A.S.K. Darren Rowse of Problogger – How Do We Increase Our Readership
A.S.K. Andy Bailey – What Was The Inspiration Behind The CommentLuv Plugin
A.S.K. Liz Strauss – How Do You Inspire Readers To Join Your Community
A.S.K. Liz Strauss – How To Format Blog Comments To Maximize Comments

I know her as Catherine, my first and best blogosphere friend who has always been there for me, faithfully commenting on my blog posts whether they were good or not, and emailing me with words of support on those days I didn’t feel motivated.

Today Catherine shares more about herself, how she started blogging, what her plans are for the future, and how she hopes to help others.

Pull up a chair, grab a beverage and let’s listen to Catherine as she takes the “hot seat”.

Welcome To Blogging Without A Blog, Catherine.

1) Can you tell us a little more about yourself and why you decided to start blogging?

I guess I’m what you might call an “accidental business person”. When I started my first business, I didn’t know much about business at all. It was the writing that I really enjoyed.

In 2006, before I sold my fire and flood restoration business, I began blogging. At first it was just a bit of fun and I didn’t blog often, as I was always so busy in my business. I didn’t have any huge ambitions for my blog back then, I just thought it would be nice to share my business mistakes and successes with others.

My posts were infrequent, as I didn’t have a lot of time and I used a blogspot domain. Looking back, those first posts were terrible. I didn’t really have a clue how to blog at all.

2) Why did you name your blog what you did, and how did you pick your tag line?

In May 2007, I started writing on CathLawson.com. I already had a website on there but no blog. I intended to change the domain once I’d found a suitable one. I eventually bought the domain “Success Passcode”. But I went off that idea and decided to keep my own name.

When Men With Pens did a new design for me earlier this year, they came up with a temporary tagline, because I couldn’t think of one. It was “Bold Advice For Business Success”. Recently I changed it to “Tips for Success In Business And Life” but I’m still hoping to come up with something better.

3) With a blog on the rise, what makes you keep blogging and what advice can you offer to new bloggers when they feel like giving up?

When things get too much, consider taking a break. I had a month off this year and a month of last year due to ill health. It does slow your progress down a little but your blog will still be there when you come back.

Keeping going is easy, once you’ve been blogging for a while. You get so used to writing every day, so you may as well be writing for an audience, instead of keeping your work to yourself.

Also, blogging is an investment. It can take a good while to build up a decent amount of regular traffic, but you will get there if you keep writing. And you will reach a point where you’ve invested too much to give up. I have almost 500 posts on my blog now, so it’s the length of two full-length books.

4) What was the turning/tipping point when you realized your blog was making a difference in the lives of others?

Mostly, it was from comments I’d received on social networks and on my blog. Also, I found people recommending some of my posts on places like Facebook and MySpace which was exciting. I get emails from people asking for business advice too and it feels great that they trust me enough to ask.

5) When you blog, what gives you the greatest joy? By that, I mean, is it the writing process, the comments you receive, the interaction with your readers, or something else. Feel free to elaborate.

It’s a combination of everything really. I love the writing process and I also enjoy watching an interesting discussion going on in the comments section. Also, I’ll sometimes write posts that I call “common sense” posts.

They’re usually things that I’ve been doing for so long, they become second nature. But when I see them become popular on social networks and read the comments, it’s a good feeling to know that they’re actually helping folk who are just learning about business.

Also, I like getting to know people I’ve met through blogging and other forms of social media.

6) After we’ve been blogging for a specific length of time, we get to a point where we decide to take our blogs in a new direction; where do you see your blog headed and how do you plan to accomplish that?

I’m gradually getting rid of pages from my old website and turning my blog into a complete site, with additional pages as well as blog posts. And my next plan is to introduce my own products.

I want to help new business owners but keep it affordable for them at the same time. There are a lot of so called business coaches online, who charge a small fortune, yet they’ve never owned a business before they began charging for their services. To me, they’re just scammers. It’s like paying someone to teach you to be a pilot, when they’ve never flown a plane.

Most new business owners are boot-strapping. They simply can’t afford to pay hundreds of dollars an hour for advice they could have got from a text book. So, I’m planning to help them in a way that doesn’t cost the earth, which will increase their bottom line at the same time.

7) On those days when you just don’t feel like blogging, how do you motivate yourself to sit at the keyboard and produce a blog post?

If I already have a long post on my blog that’s attracting a lot of readers, I may not write at all. Other times, I’ll drag something out of drafts and complete it. I tend to get a heap of ideas in spurts, so there’s always around 100 partly written posts for me to work on.

8.) Where do you see yourself and your blog a year from now? 5 years from now?

A year from now, I aim for the business I’m planning to build from my blog, to be profitable.

In five years time, I plan to be helping thousands of people change their lives. And I hope to be more famous than Seth Godin – with more hair.

Reflecting On The Interview

Catherine, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule and answering my questions. I truly appreciate it.

Knowing Catherine and reviewing her answers, it’s obvious she is on a path to success. She knows when to dive in but also knows when to step back, regroup and/or relax. She’s not in it to get rich quick, but is building her new business venture on helping others to succeed. With her kind heart and concern for others, it’s inevitable she will be a star. Seth Godin, move over, Cath Lawson is on her way.

Catherine has agreed to take questions from the BWAB readers. Feel free to leave your questions in the comment section and as time permits she’ll come by and provide answers. Keep in mind, she is in the UK and for us in the States, we’re dealing with a large time difference.

Again Catherine, I thank you!

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I know I’ve made my share.

When Darren Rowse, author of Problogger and co-author of ProBlogger: Secrets Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income agreed to participate in my A.S.K. (Answers Sharing Knowledge) series, I wanted to know his answer.

I asked

As bloggers we often reflect back on the mistakes we’ve made along
the way. What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in your blogging career,
and what did it teach you?

Darren answered

Some of the more obvious ‘mistakes’ were around the domain names that I selected. My first blog was a .org.au domain which doesn’t lend itself to an international audience. My second was a .net instead of a .com (I ended up buying ProBlogger.com off someone for a lot of money later) and Digital-photography-school.com doesn’t have an easy to say ‘ring’ to it (too many hyphens).

What did it teach me? Firstly – think ahead – but secondly, you can still be successful even with less than perfect domains.

Reflecting On The Answer

Thank you Darren for sharing your answer with us. Although you see your domain names as a “mistake”, that certainly hasn’t deterred readers from finding you.

I must agree, when I picked the names for my blogs, I had no idea where my blogging would take me. Looking back, I know I could have done better, but that’s the past and like Darren, I’m not going to let poorly picked domain names stop me from succeeding.

Although the domain name for this blog may sound silly or often raise the “why is it named what it is” question, I did learn the name is keyword dense. For those who don’t understand what keyword dense means, I have the words blog and blogging in my domain name and for search engine purposes, the title of my blog matches the content. Some will say, “that’s a good thing”.

To answer the question, “why is it named what it is?”, when I was learning how to blog, I was documenting what I was learning. It was that process of note taking and/or journaling I realized we all “blog”. The only difference is with a blog, we’re publishing our words online.

In previous posts we’ve talked about other mistakes we’ve made in blogging, but today let’s concentrate on our domain names.

Today’s Assignment

When you look at your domain name, are you happy with it or do you wish you had put more thought into it?

Has your domain name handicapped you in any way?

If you don’t have a blog yet, have you considered the implications of choosing an appropriate name?

Let’s discuss this topic further in the comment section and share our insights with others.

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A.S.K. Darren Rowse of Problogger – How Do We Increase Our Readership
A.S.K. Andy Bailey – What Was The Inspiration Behind The CommentLuv Plugin
A.S.K. Liz Strauss – How Do You Inspire Readers To Join Your Community
A.S.K. Liz Strauss – How To Format Blog Comments To Maximize Comments