Discouraged With Blogging?

 111 Comments on Discouraged With Blogging? 0 1146

Just as water can extinguish a fire, comparing ourselves to others can dampen our desires.
~Barbara Swafford

I think we can run into problems when we compare ourselves to other bloggers. We might start to think they write better than us or have a better theme than us. We may also see they have more subscribers, commenters, friends, followers, Facebook likes, retweets and/or Google +1’s.

Although we’re aware each blogger starts at the same place; with one blog post, one comment, one subscriber, etc., it’s easy to forget these facts when we’re struggling with slow blog growth.

Today’s Assignment:

I like quotes. In just a few words, volumes are spoken.

The quotes I’m sharing today are ones I think can not only help us in life, but can also help us on our blogging journey.

Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.
~ Bertrand Russell

When I was a child my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk, you’ll be the pope.’ Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.
~ Pablo Picasso

No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.
~ Ansel Adams

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.
~ Henry David Thoreau

Why should we worry about what others think of us? Do we have more confidence in their opinions than we do our own?
~ Brigham Young

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
~ John F. Kennedy

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
~ Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Address, 2005

To thine own self be true.
~ William Shakespeare

Today’s Lesson

How do you stay true to yourself when blogging?

Do you have a favorite quote which keeps you on track?

Care to share?

~Barbara

111 thoughts on “Discouraged With Blogging?”

  1. How do I stay true to myself when blogging?I write what I believe at the time and I have to be comfortable with what I have written before I post it. That doesn’t mean I never go out of my comfort zone — it just has to be what is really me… at the time 😉 .

    Do I have a favorite quote which keeps me on track?I really have never been much for quotes. I read them, sometimes, when others post them, but, though they make sense, I don’t retain them.

    1. Hi Mike,

      That’s a good point. When we blog, although we may step outside of our comfort zone, what we share is how we feel or what we believe at THAT moment in time even though later on we may change our viewpoint or become more passionate about a topic.

  2. “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”

    – Henry David Thoreau

    …and my paraphrase:

    “She danced to the music of a different orchestra – but first she had to hear the music.”

  3. My favorite quote is “Life is a playground or a battlefield. It is what you make of it.” But I don’t know who to attribute it to. It has been repeated by many people.

    When I’m writing, I use it as inspiration. I check to see if I have the right perceptions of events and use this philosophy to find my voice. It might not make sense to anyone else why this quote keeps me true to myself.

    In a way, it also keeps me blogging. I grew up very insecure and shy. But, when I think about the quote, I remind myself that blogging is something that is supposed to be fun. It should be like playing on a playground instead of fighting one challenge after another in a life or death match.

    If I find that I don’t like the path I started on, I can just change directions. I think that’s okay because otherwise, I would have to force myself to write about stuff that I have no interest in writing about. My blog is much like my life, mercurial.

    1. Hi Maddie,

      The quote you shared reminds me of how we all have choices and it’s up to us to make what we feel is the best choice for us and then live with the consequences. Like you, I’d rather think of life (and blogging) as a playground and not a battlefield.

      That’s great advice on how it’s important for us to blog about that which we’re interested in. It makes blogging so much easier when we do.

  4. Good post – thank you for sharing.
    I sometimes get discouraged, but usually I can dust myself off and get going again fairly quickly…

    I really fell down with Wise Ears…I thought I was picking good timing during July and August, but IT Girl is deep into a massive thesis project so I have to pull back….I think I get more discouraged because I can not seem to figure out how to do the technical things I need to know and am thus dependent.

    It was very exciting to know that when I start making some money, I can pay good people to help me – just like some of the bigger bloggers do….Knowing that others pay for help – well that was a relief…learning that many functions of blogging are mathematical thinking…well that also gave me relief and I stopped being so hard on myself.

    I have a whole basket of quotes sitting on my desk…and often when I need to problem solve I randomly pull one out and write about what it makes me think about – when I write I feel better. Feeling better makes the blog flow 🙂

    1. You’re welcome Patricia,

      That’s smart on your part not to beat yourself up. We all have setbacks, but I think with determination and tenacity we can overcome whatever is tossed our way.

      I like your idea of having quotes in a basket and pulling one out randomly. I see it as a good way of changing our mindset, and like you said, it can inspire a post, as well.

  6. Hi Barbara .. I’m just me = just me! I have really kept doing what I did – worked out that others enjoy the posts, and keep on. I’m not out to win a race, and don’t want hundreds of ‘unknowns’ around just for the sake of it … when I have something to show – a business, a product or two .. then I’ll be happy to have expanded organically. Quotes I enjoy reading them .. but then forget! So I’m not constantly referring to them …

    Cheers and have a great week ahead .. Hilary

    http://www.positiveletters.com

    1. Thank you Hilary. I hope you’re having a great week, too.

      That’s all we can be is who we are. Not only does staying true to ourselves help in the writing process, but as we build our online footprint, we know we’ve done it authentically.

  7. Hi Barbara,
    What you said is true, what I did was to do what I love to do and continue to reach out to other bloggers. I think showing your true personality / intentions (which is good) will set you apart from the crowd.

    1. Hi Sanjay,

      You’re right. When we show others who we really are, that’s when (online) relationships begin to build, and like you said, it may also set us apart from the crowd. Oftentimes it’s not just what a blogger is sharing that attracts visitors, but the blogger themselves.

  8. My favourite quote “Meddle not in the affairs of dragons for you are small, crunchy and good with ketchup”. Not obviously connected with blogging, but it just amuses me and amusement is a good thing to experience.

  9. It’s such a coincidence that your post is about comparing ourselves with other bloggers, Barbara. I just had quite a lengthy discussion with a good friend of mine about my blog. Basically, he was comparing the stuff I write about with other bloggers, and asking why don’t I do the same. Looking back at the conversation, I would say that I remain true to myself when it comes to blogging by always remembering the sole reason why I started the blog in the first place. I don’t have anything against what other bloggers in my niche write about. But for me, veering away from these ‘usual topics’ he referred to is one way for me to not only stay true to myself, but also to give something different to my readers.

    It’s just like what Steve Jobs said: “Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice…have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

    1. Hi Adeline,

      That’s the key – staying true to ourselves.

      No matter what topic we blog about, we’re going to find others who blog about it too, but like you said, when we give the topic(s) a different perspective, not only are we giving our readers something different to think about, but we’re also remaining authentic.

      I also think different blog authors will attract different audiences. Some may like blog author “A” better than us, but others may find our writing more to their liking. There’s something for everyone.

      1. That’s so true. I guess that’s why even though they say that niches are saturated, there is always going to be room for new bloggers to join. 🙂

        1. Yes, Adeline,

          There’s always room for more, not to mention how so many bloggers give up after a short period of time. If we have the determination to stick with it, we could end up on top.

  10. Hi Barbara,
    Very interesting article, both to the mind and the heart. I liked the Brigham Young quote, and of course, Steve Jobs quote. I also like Jo’s above. All in all, if we are true to ourselves, then we are by design true to others. Makes you think – thanks for sharing.

  11. Hi, Barbara!
    I do not have a favorite quote to keep me on track except that I try to live my life by the “carpe diem” principle. Making the best and most out of the day is something I always seek for. Actually, I guess I could use here the quote that I think Gandhi had said and that is quite related to the carpe diem rule: “our future depends of what we do today”.
    However, from all the inspiring quotes you wrote here, my choice would be the one from Eleanor Roosevelt. “No one can make us feel inferior without our consent”. Meaning that if we have enough power of our own will and if we have enough self esteem, there is no discouragement that can take place within our minds.

    1. Hi Kristina,

      That’s so true, “our future depends of what we do today”. Since we can’t have do-overs, as you said, it’s important to make the best and most out of each day. 🙂

  12. Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.

    -Tony robbins

    1. Hi Learn Hebrew,

      Thank you for sharing the Tony Robbins quote. That’s a new one to me. I like how it says we can make whatever we choose out of each experience.

  13. My favorite quote ” Life is short. Sin a little, Party Harder”
    This always keep me smiling. It’s because this quote was taught to me by one of my high school crush ;P. It’s really not the quote that inspire me. It’s her.

  14. Of all these amazing quotes, I really like what Eleanor Roosevelt had said about the consent that you will permit to anyone who might make you feel inferior.

  16. I like what Picasso has said. I think it’s highly important to grow up with the mentality that you can do and be everything you want. Somehow, we forget that we our fearless competitor is still us.

  17. My best advice is to avoid comparing yourself to other bloggers at all costs. Works for all areas of life, actually, not just blogging.

    1. Hi Vered,

      I’m with you on that. If we start comparing what we do with what others are doing, we can not only drive ourselves crazy, but in the meantime our self confidence could tank.

  19. I do not have a favorite quote – I love ’em all!

    I know I have a good blog post simply because I feel it – there is a “I can’t wait to post this thing” sense about it vs. a “I guess that’s it” perception.

    1. Hi David,

      I know what you’re saying. When we know we’ve nailed it with a post, we’re anxious to hit the “publish” button. It’s like we’re bursting to “tell the world”. 🙂

  20. Beautiful words of wisdom.

    I try to stay true to the mission and remind myself of the problem I’m solving and to connect it with my values.

    I also use it as a learning lab and I stay focused on experimenting … it keeps me from stagnating. And when I hit a hump, I brainstorm with others or test myself to take on the challenge in a new way.

    1. Thank you J.D.,

      That’s good advice – to remind ourselves what problem we’re trying to solve and how we want to present the solution to our audience.

      Brainstorming is a great way to keep us on track. Even though we may not agree with others or take their advice, it helps to see the problem/solution from different angles.

  21. Thank you for the inspiring post. Mine is-
    “Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”

    This quote keeps me striving in life. 🙂

  22. This is exactly what I need now. I’m glad Ive read your post. Feeling kind of down lately. So many frustrations in my online life. YOu cheered me up and made me think with your quotes. Very inspiring. Thank you.

  23. Nice post. I love those quotes, those inspiring quotes. Inspirational quotes have been one of the main reasons for the success of many people. Reading motivational and inspiring quotes on a daily basis has been reported time and again to boost a person’s motivation, and help them to take action towards what they want. Thanks for the post.

    http://www.de-clutternow.org/

    1. You’re welcome De-clutter,

      That’s true. Quotes can motivate us. Another thing I like about quotes is finding out who said them. It not only says a lot about who they are, but what philosophy they used to become successful.

  24. Great article. It really comes from the bottom of your soul/heart.I loved that part with “stay yourself in blogging”. I also dislike some faked blogs and it is a mystery for me why people create them. But I guess that this is their escape from the reality.

  25. Hi Barb! Wonderful quotes! I don’t have any that last long on my desk – constant churing of in one day, out the next, but I love them!
    As for discouragement in blogging, I can only say I feel like I’m writing for the world at large and where the discouragement would come in is that the world at large doesn’t read it! ha! Wishin I could go viral or something but I don’t seem to be very contagious. It’s ok. I keep on “as if”………
    hugs
    suZen (still at library for internet, grrrrrrr)

    1. Thank you SuZen,

      I think that’s a normal feeling for us bloggers – like we’re talking, but not too many people are listening.

      I like your idea of blogging with the “as if” attitude in mind. We never know what the universe has in store for us, do we?

      P.S. I hope you get your internet back up real soon.

  26. I know some people who have stopped blogging because of some factors that affected their lives…I know it hurts them but I think they can still go back with blogging and they have to be stronger…

    1. Hi Cameron,

      You’re right. Even if a blogger stops blogging for an extended period of time, the opportunity to return to the blogosphere is always there. Sometimes it just takes new motivation.

  27. Hi Barbara,

    I know that this may sound trivial, but it works for me:

    I used to be very pessimistic about my achievements and accomplishments, so, sometimes, I used to avoid doing things because of the fear of failure. It took me years to realize that not trying is far worse. So, even though this one is not a great literature piece it works for me – Just Do It!

    1. Hi Ana,

      I don’t think you’re alone – in putting things off for fear of failure. It can be scary.

      “Just do it” is a great motto to follow. It’s a good reminder to get things done, and what I’ll often do is reward myself when I’ve accomplished that which I had been putting off.

  28. Hello Barbara,

    An excellent post. Quite often new bloggers tend to be unsure of themselves. They follow other people’s leads or try to hold back their own creative abilities because they’re worried of what others think. The truth is that you should always be yourself but never stop trying to improve who you are. Don’t look at what others think, there is a market for every mindset out there and the only way to be successful is by being happy with what you are doing.

    1. Thank you Chris,

      That’s great advice – to be ourselves and to be happy with what we’re doing. As you mentioned, there is a market for every type of blog and/or personality. Although it is hard for new bloggers to take some of those first steps, I know for myself, after I did each new challenge become easier.

  30. Hi Barbara.

    Your quote is a good one, and so very true. I love quotes too, though sometimes the online world of quote sharing puts me off. I say to myself, “Oh, come ON!” 🙂

    They do tend to catch your attention though, no matter how good or bad they are. The cleverness of them and the play on words is just as fun as the message behind them. I don’t think I can pick a favourite quote; there are so many. But I will share with you the worst quote I’ve ever read… I wrote it! LOL.

    “Just when you think you stand above all others, there will be yet
    another kneecap staring you in the face. If you reach high enough you might be able to take that person’s hand.”

    Translation? Hehehe… When you get a little too big for your britches, remember that there will always be someone a little bigger than you are… *and* there will always be someone feeling smaller. You can be humble and look up to the bigger person, and you can also reach down to help the smaller person. I like the metaphor for just being in the world, and I think it can also apply to blogging.

    1. Davina – I love your quote! Along with the warning comes the act of being humble enough to remain teachable.

      I’ve added your quote my Soul Dipper Page on Facebook and I promise to give you full credit!

      1. Thanks Amy! That put a smile on my face 🙂 I love your comment about being humble enough to remain teachable. Well said. We’re certainly more open to learning when we’re not too full of ourselves, LOL.

    2. Thank you Davina,

      I like your quote. It’s a good reminder that we were all new bloggers at one time. All the more reason to remain humble and help others whenever we can; just as others have helped us.

  31. I am fortunate, I didn’t have to live with my parents trying to live vicariously through me. I do have a favourite quote, from my father, which is a somewhat in this vein. He said, ‘I don’t care what you do, just do SOMETHING!’

    1. Hi Dave,

      I LOVE your father’s quote. It not only applies to raising kids, but can apply to blogging too, especially when we’re at that point when we’re over analyzing our writing or being hesitant as to whether start a blog or not.

  32. Blogging gives me a voice that I don’t have in my regular. As a reporter, you can’t express your opinion too much. Plus, with such a public job, I don’t want to give everything away.

    1. Hi Jacqueline,

      It’s good seeing you, Silly Girl. 🙂

      By the sounds of it, your blog is the perfect sounding board for sharing that which you can’t in your job as a reporter. Sweet, hey?

  33. This made me more optimistic. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have any ideas at all, but staying positive and just speaking loudly what you think is very appreciated, yes?

  34. I love quotes and you have posted some really great ones. I particularly am drawn to the Picasso quote. Thank you for sharing these uplifting and inspiring messages.

  35. Getting discouraged is easy. There are negative people all around us, and it’s hard to pick out which ones are being constructive and honest versus those who are being jerks. What I find interesting is just how easy it is to let their opinion scuttle my mood for a while. That’s sure a lot of power I’m giving them. It’s easy to get discouraged.

    1. Hi Massage Chair Reviews,

      Yes. It’s easy to get discouraged and like you said, it’s also easy to give power to the negativity around us. I think once we’ve identified it is negativity which is making us feel discouraged, we’re one step closer to changing our attitude.

  36. Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.
    (David Frost)

    Quite right, isn’t it? Keep blogging how you love it, and if you really do, there will come around something great.

  37. Hi Barbara,

    came back to your blog after a long time and read a nice encouraging piece as usual.
    well my favourite quote is from a great poet and nobel laureate of our country, Rabindranath Tagore and I quote:
    ” If you shut the door on all errors, truth shall be shut out”
    I find that every time I have to face a hard truth about myself or about anything, this line gives me courage.

    I also note that when I fee discouraged with life, I feel discouraged to blog, which otherwise gives me a sense of purpose and sense of joy and aliveness.

    thank you for a great piece.

    1. It’s great to see you Sharbori,

      I hope all is well in your world.

      You’ve raised a good point – when all isn’t well in our “real” world, (for some) it can be difficult to blog. But one good thing is our blog will wait. 🙂

  38. Barbara, this has now become my favourite of all your posts I have read. (That may change with the next one you write! 🙂 ) Encouraging, affirming and strengthening.

    WordPress recently added a feature – on our blogs – that shows the number of subscribers to our blog. I went into my admin and disabled the feature. I found that encouraged competitive thinking and acting. That’s not why I write! I also don’t look to see if those numbers show on other blogs…

    When I was in elementary grades and my mother was a teacher at the same school I attended, I asked her for my IQ rating.

    “I will not give that to you,” she said.
    “Why not?”
    “Because if it was low, you’d decide to give up and never work hard. If it was high, you’d decide you don’t have to work.”
    “So whether it’s high or low, we have to work hard at school?”
    “That’s correct. Some students who found school very easy have gone to University and failed because they never developed good study habits.”

    In the blogging world, I see people writing and publishing blogs similar to emails – in frequency and quality. They receive lots of comments. Quality blogs may rise to the attention of others more slowly, but it’s with the fulfillment of knowing the message comes from creativity, not copy.

    When people ask me verbally about numbers, I say, “First, please tell me what is a good number. Then I’ll have a better idea what makes you ask.”

    Blogging is only a competition if I make it so. I choose to write and publish according to my offering and time.

    1. Thank you for your sweet words Amy. I appreciate it.

      Your mother was wise not to tell you what your IQ was. It’s obvious she could “see the writing on the wall” and knew some things are best left unsaid.

      I’m with you. Blogging is not a competition. Fortunately we get to make our blog what we choose, and others can do the same. Although some may appear to be more successful, if that’s what we want, in time it can be ours, too.

  39. The fact of the matter is, whenever we develop one doubt in our minds, then it snowballs and then the next thing you know we are discouraged about what we are doing… and think we are doing a bad job. The doubt can some from anything, from comparing yourself to someone who you perceive as better (as mentioned) or someone putting you down, then you question how “good” you are. You need to be confident in you and your skills, and that is it. Easier said than done though.

    1. Hi Maytag Store Vaughan,

      It is easier said than done, isn’t it? But with practice, we can gain more self confidence and hopefully become discouraged less often,

      I also think it helps when bloggers know other bloggers go through the thing. That way they don’t feel so alone in the blogosphere.

  40. You have a beautiful writing style. I love it! When I first started blogging, I was pretty discouraged and thought that no one would read my work.

    1. Thank you Norman,

      I think a lot of bloggers feel the same way you did in the beginning. We feel like we’re “talking” and no one is listening. Time is usually the cure for that, so hopefully bloggers don’t give up too soon.

  41. It is very hard to keep blogging when no one is reading. I struggle with this everyday. These things take time, we have to forge ahead. I read today that 95% of all blogs fail, the ones that succeed have withstood the test of time. Don’t let yourself be a statistic. 🙂

    1. Thank you Caterina,

      I still remember those early days and assume (some) new bloggers feel the same. I hope what I share helps others to stay strong and to continue to believe in themselves.

  43. I love the quotation from Steve Jobs,he’s really a man with great words of wisdom. I’m learning a lot from reading articles ( got motivated by others’ success and inspiring experiences) but I’m pretty much into conversations. Whenever I feel my posts are not that good, specially when my topic is not in trend ( I thought of it a lot…) here’s my fave quote…

    “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” – Albert Einstein

    It’s not bad to be down sometimes and just don’t go with the flow,have the courage to be unique!Taking the risks would be fine. Keeps me stronger and wiser.

    Great post Barbara! Thanks!

  44. Thank you Vhien,

    Steve Jobs was very wise, wasn’t he?

    I’m like you and enjoy reading how others reached the level of success they have. Their stories are not only inspiring, but as you said, motivating.

    That’s a great quote from Albert Einstein. I hadn’t heard that one before so thank you for sharing. 🙂

  45. Just wanted to say a big Thank you, loved reading all the comments as this helps me write and think the way I want and not worry about the correct way we should do everything. Say what’s on your mind and people will understand you.

    1. You’re welcome Neil,

      The comments on this blog are great, aren’t they? I love how bloggers freely share their opinions and in turn, help others on their blogging journey.

  46. I believe if you want to do something you can for sure.
    for me there is nothing impossible but sometimes I feel kind of lazy
    but when I start writing oh you cant imagine how start typing my words it is just happen

    1. Hi Salah,

      I’m with you. We can do anything we put our mind to, but as you mentioned, we may get lazy along the way. I think as long as we have the belief we can succeed, those down times will be fewer and further between.

  48. It seems to me that only number of comments (I mean not “likes” or “followers”) can say a lot about the post. If it is interesting, so certainly there will be people who will express their opinion (a positive or a negative one), so we should pay attention on it in any case!

    1. Hi Jeannie,

      Paying attention to what others are saying is important. Not only will positive remarks validate our thoughts, but negative ones can help us expand our thinking.

  50. Pingback: Why I’m Closing Comments | Blogging Without A Blog

  53. This is a lot of work. I have been blogging for customers for the last 6 weeks for the tax season that does not start till Jan. 1,2012

    Chris
    Owner Cel Financial Services
    Registered Bonded California CTEC Tax Preparer
    Please visit my website for all your Income Tax Fillmore needs.

    1. Hi Chris,

      Yes. Blogging can be a lot of work and if we don’t like it, it can start feeling like a job instead of fun.

      I imagine with you being in the tax preparer business, it’s only going to get busier. .

  54. For me blogging is all about downloading my stream of consciousness into word form. This way of expressing my thoughts may seem unorganized to the casual observer, but it makes me feel better about whatever I’m writing about when I’m done. It’s like having a conversation with someone and telling them what is all on your mind, it’s therapeutic in a way I suppose.

    Thanks,
    Michael

    1. Hi Michael,

      I agree. Blogging can be very therapeutic; not just the process of writing down our thoughts and feelings, but also conversing with others as the conversation expands.

  55. For me blogging is to have my global presence. Some times i make personal pages in my blog that can be seen by selected friends, it helps me to get advice. reading your own problems is a best way to find their solution.
    Nice post Barbara.

  56. Hi Barbara,
    Good work ! Keep us posting, you are good writer.I love quotes too, one of my favorate quote from Kung Fu Panda “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift , that is why its called the present”

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