Honestly, Who Really Cares About Your Blog?
I’ve been sent a ton of private emails, direct messages, and Facebook messages asking me for more information on why I really killed off one of my most prominent social media brands and online identities – and how I made it look like such an easy decision.
The answer is that it was an easy decision to make and execute on once I began to really see how I had truly diluted my efforts across the board and how everything was becoming gradually less impactful as I spent more time in too many disparate areas.
Specifically, in terms of my blogs, I realized that I didn’t care much about more than a few of them and that my perception is that others cared much more than they actually have (or ever did). In fact, I cared more about them than the people that were really engaging with them.
But like I shared in the above video, I asked myself some very hard questions:
- Am I being optimal in the few things that I’m truly passionate about?
- Am I too diluted in my time and emotional capacity for all that I’m involved in?
- Do I really want to make a significant impact and a ‘dent in the universe’ or do I just want to be another “good employee” and make a paycheck?
These are just some of the questions that I asked myself and I came out with some very definitive and challenging answers. To be totally honest I knew the answers already before I even asked them.
The on-going challenge now is to continually say “No” to other ideas and new opportunities and commit myself to the art of being laser-focused in the things that I’ve already committed to. In wisdom and in time things will evolve and change but not without great counsel from friends and my family and not without a good distance from the distractions that many diluted projects bring.
I challenge you to go through a season of pruning – it’ll change your life for the better!
Good on you John, I really love it when you get opinionated. You should do it more!
Saying no can in the long run be the best thing you’ll ever do. I don’t have a day that goes by where I have to say no to things. Not just anything, but good things. But they are the right things.
Keep that focus!
hah! this is really interesting… because i’ve been told i need to be more opinionated… actually quite recently…
You do need to John!
It’s something I’m learning in my writing, as I get opinionated my true character comes through which makes what I write much more engaging for the reader.
If you check out my posts from a month ago to now you’ll see the contrast I’ve gotten more assertive whereas I used to be Mr. Nice guy, don’t stir it up toooo much.
This change has even impacted the types of posts that I write about. I feel more comfortable having an opinion about broader marketing issues. I never used to write about “what marketers/commununicators are doing wrong and how to fix it” type posts but having an attitude and getting more opinionated has allowed me to tell it like it is. (I’ve tried to do that without being troll like in what I say.)
i’m going to walk through some of yours and see… thanks for that!
That is a very good question – I look forward to watching the video later (at work now) – keen to know your answer
Perfect! I think this kind of explains why I’ve stepped away from blogging somewhat. I guess subconsciously I asked myself those questions and blogging came out of it badly.
Great thoughts John, grateful for the encouragement!
sure thing! there’s no pressure here… do what you know is right for your blog(s)!
Saying “No” is the most important thing in life, on personal and professional front both.
I am also learning to say “No” now a days…
Nice point captured by Jo in a nice way….
do you have any pruning to do?
Pruning is especially hard to do when you’re pruning sources of income, especially significant sources of income. It’s something I need to think about rather carefully. Maybe there’s some pruning to be done!
that’s true. but pruning a little here can open up doors for even more down the line. who knows, right? at least that’s the hope….
Nice post John. Could that white book you’ve been reading be part of the impetus for your pruning?
Thanks as always for sharing.
dude, for sure!
too true, too true
What’s the opposite of “prune”? If “pruning” means reducing, there must be a verbalized fruit which denotes adding stuff.
Sprouting?
#LOL
i like blueberries.
good video John, had to make myself take a week off from writing this week… haven’t done so for 4 months and find it to be very helpful to “just listen,” especially to God’s voice. Sometimes our perceptions are really way off.
uhhh……. yeah…..!
i can be so quick to rob myself of the opportunity to just listen to him. i’m working on it. slowly.
Pruning is definitely a good thing. Except when it’s due to being in the swimming pool for too long.
… i suppose so.
Pruning is so essential to living rightly. (And I’ve got some pruning to do in my life over the next few weeks…but that’s a good thing.) It is amazing how we can get caught up doing too many things and then find ourselves doing none of those well because we’re being pulled in too many directions at once.
Actually, Jesus used the idea of pruning in order to produce more fruit. The pruning metaphor is great in all areas of our lives, because we can produce fruit in every area, whether in business, in ministry, in blogging, etc, etc, etc. So many areas!
John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”
charles,
thank you for this reminder. i needed this this morning.
Glad to pass along the encouragement, my friend.
PS: My high school baseball coach used to always remind us that the quickest way from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ is a straight line. Curves and detours are rarely a good thing. It makes more sense to me today than it did back then.
Sound words, Sir. Although I know basically nothing about guns, I actually used the analogy of shooting a shotgun vs a rifle the other day… See, I’m making SIGNIFICANT changes at my business. I’m redesigning the entire operation. And in doing this I realized I had been taking a shotgun approach previously, lots of little pellets going all over the place with minimal impact each, as compared to my intent, a few well placed rifle rounds that are solid and compact and obliterate a target.
Well said, Sir.
~Ivan
i like this analogy… a lot.
Love this.
Great message. It may be tough but cutting out the dead wood will help spur new growth. I love that you apply this to not only blogging but other aspects of life.
Thanks for being honest with yourself and us!
sure thing stephanie! it’s been good (but painful at times)!
It’s one thing to be creative. It’s another to bite off more than you can chew, making it very difficult to be articulate when your mouth is full. Maybe a golden rule should be: when in doubt, spit it out.
… i kinda like that.
Wow, thanks. This is so timely for me to have come across. I’m at a crossroads in life (definitely a season of pruning/waiting) and really want to do what I’m passionate about and make a difference in the Kingdom. I’ve blogged here and there over the years but it was more of an outlet or hobby. Putting money to the side, if I could blog all day, I would. Writing is my passion and I want to use it as a tool to encourage others. I’m not quite sure where to go with all of it but I’m going forward on the journey. I guess I’m officially an aspiring TentBlogger now! Thanks!
love it………! welcome to the tribe!
This post really ‘stuck in my craw’ for the longest time. Sometimes it’s hard accepting the truth, but ultimately being resistant to ‘letting go’ is not a valid reason for ‘holding on’ and being stagnant. So, I accept your challenge, John!I’ve let go of one of my dormant blogs. Looking forward to putting 100% of my energy into where it counts the most. Thanks for the motivation!
good for you! what a great first step!