Maybe you are wondering if all the information out there is just a big fat lie? The internet feels like a big black hole and you’ve spent endless hours researching and contemplating. Even after doing this, you still feel lost. I totally get it. I was right there with you. This post is all about the emotional support and sharing the journey. It is not as easy as it looks. Starting a blog is HARD. Making it successful is even HARDER. I got so tired of being pitched to endlessly and finding myself no closer to my goal of being a billionaire blogger, am I right? It became very easy to get lost and not know what to focus on or where to direct my efforts. I wanted so badly to be successful and was so afraid of failing that it was almost paralyzing! I bet some of my readers feel the same which is why I am just putting it all out there in this post.
I thought to myself, how am I ever going to be as good as some of these masters making millions? Is it even possible to compete in this space? Other times, I felt so inadequate, and thought why can’t I figure this out?! Everywhere I look, I see more successful bloggers and don’t understand why this learning curve is so very steep. I spent five years spinning my wheels and had nothing to show for it. All of a sudden, I decided to change my mindset. I started using all those “pitches” as market research, I began consuming all the free content I could find, paying close attention to what worked and what didn’t. I sought out bloggers I admired and consumed their online programs. I invested in myself and spent some cold hard cash on programs designed to help new bloggers succeed. Slowly but surely everything started to come together. No one tells you how hard you need to hustle in order to make it in the blogging world. It is absolutely exhausting in the beginning. The deep soul searching was almost painful. I felt so overwhelmed at times I wasn’t sure if I would be swallowed up and dig deeper or just quit altogether. I finally understood why so many bloggers fail. I didn’t and still don’t want to be one of those statistics.
I am a die hard perfectionist, so having a clear path and a mission is super important. I’m sure some of you can relate! It took a while to begin believing that what I had to offer was valuable. I kept asking myself what I wanted this blog to become and how did this fit with who I was as a human and the lofty goals I was reaching to achieve. The sole purpose of this post is to encourage others who are starting out not to give up. Give yourself some grace and the time to learn and grow. Starting an online side-hustle that you hope one day will grow beyond your wildest dreams will take some time and back breaking effort. Remember that in order to live the life you dream of, you need to be willing to sacrifice to achieve it.
One of the reasons that most new blogs fail is underestimating the hard work involved and wanting to make money with a blog with the very first post. Some bloggers do get lucky and have an accelerated path to success, but it is much more realistic to think of your blog as a small business. When you realize that most businesses take about two years to turn a profit it puts everything into perspective. Whether you are waiting to make your first sales, hit it big with a viral post, or just get your website online, the journey can be lonely. Sometimes, the people in your life just don’t “get it” and struggle to understand what you are doing and why its important to you. There is still so much misinformation that surrounds online business, well meaning loved ones may think they are saving you from some type of scam. Don’t let this discourage you. Instead, look for a support system of like-minded individuals. There are so many awesome communities online. Make connections in Facebook Groups or hire a mentor or coach to keep you motivated to succeed. Having a support system also comes in handy when you are dealing with doubt or need a sounding board. I found a tribe of like-minded individuals in The Business Lounge (affiliate link) for online creators. This community has been awesome and Kimberly Ann Jimenez-Harris (the owner) is absolutely amazing! She takes time to connect with you personally, answer questions, and give sound advice. I would have given up long ago had I not had this community behind me. If you need access to some of the best crash courses out there, live Q/A, and a flourishing community, give The Business Lounge a try. If you use my link, you can get a 7 Day Trial for just $1. You will not regret it!
If you haven’t yet taken the plunge, but want a basic road map to get your blog up and running, try the Free Blog Master Class. You might also find the recommendations section of the website helpful. There you can find all my favorite products and services for building your online empire!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links to products/services that I love and personally endorse. If you use one of my links to make a purchase, I may receive a commission from the sale. I use these proceeds to support The Priestley Project Blog. Thank you!
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