The Secret to Blogging Success.

The secret to blogging success is a simple one. It doesn't take a course, a coach, or an e-book to figure it out. In fact, it's so simple that I'm just going to tell you what it is. Are you ready for it?

Hard work.

That's it! There is no magic formula to make you an amazing writer, photographer, social media guru, or marketer.

If you want to have a successful blog, you need to work hard.

This might meant getting up early, before anyone else is awake. Writing until the sun comes up. Making another cup of coffee. Writing until you have to leave to drive an hour to your office, where you work for someone else. Skipping lunch to respond to comments, emails, and social media. Brainstorming content for your next post while you sit in traffic for an hour on your drive home. Starting laundry while your laptop boots up. Getting your kids off the bus, fixing their snacks, and throwing dinner on the stove. Working on your blog in between switching clothes to the dryer, stirring a pot of sauce, and helping with homework. Updating all of your social media accounts while your kids take a bath. Collapsing into bed after a long day, barely feeling "done" with any of the work associated with having a blog and all that goes along with it.

Sound familiar?

Blogging is pitching, networking, and checklists. It's hard, tedious, and unending. There is no "quick fix" for becoming a successful blogger. Going viral is a stroke of luck with about the odds of a winning lottery ticket.

No, the only true means to achieve lasting success is to dig your heels in and work. Teach yourself the power of grit. Grit is all about setting your sights on something and persisting, no matter what. It's a challenging thing to really, truly master, but it's something I work on daily. And if you want to become a successful blogger, you should, too.

Yes, you can monetize your blog, but it probably isn't going to happen overnight. Bloggers with tremendous income reports are usually including other side-hustle money or aren't really telling you the whole story.

Yes, you can sign up for a course, but it probably isn't going to turn you into the next Pioneer Woman. The bloggers with such name recognition have spent years building their brand.

Don't fall for the hype. If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love blogging. Writing is good for the soul, and it's wonderful to be able to share it with others. Will I spend time sharing this blog post on social media? Yes. Might I occasionally throw in an ad or two? Yes. Do I hope to someday blog full-time and become a thought leader in the blogging community, someone people approach with questions and with the power to help other bloggers succeed? Definitely! But today, all I control is today.

So I write.

I tweet.

I write some more.

When my full-time job tires me out, I give myself a break.

When my family has a party, I attend.

When I have to help out a friend, I do.

But if I can blog, I always try to put in the time. Because I know that's the only way I will reap the rewards down the line.

So keep plugging away, bloggers! We can and will get there. But don't be fooled by the myths that surround you. The only true way to guarantee your success as a blogger is to want it and to make it happen.

And that is something you can control, and I know you can do it.

Danielle

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