Bali, Indonesia
I recall speaking to a few folks over the years who slammed into blogging struggles.
Nothing seemed to change for them blogging-wise, no matter how long or hard the individuals worked.
Virtually every person noted being a former teacher, or ex police officer, or even a current day employee. Since you cannot outrun your self-image you will literally BE the teacher, cop or 9-5 employee even though you claim to be a blogger. Why? Experience follows your self-image.
I had to change my self-image from ex security guard to blogger YEARS before I became a professional blogger. I had to see myself as a blogger even though I was an amateur blogger. If I continued to see myself as a security guard who got fired I would do the stuff I did as a security guard every day I arrived home from the terminal.
I had to patiently, persistently and deliberately picture myself in mind as being a blogger to let go low energy security guard habits I clung to for a long time.
Security guard days found me:
- going to the gym for hours
- watching DVDs (this was 2004-2008, folks)
- lazing around on weekends
as soon as I arrived home after working my job. But bloggers do not have hours to waste watching DVDs, going to the gym and lazing around because aspiring pros need to blog-work for hours generously daily, in order to go pro. I changed my self-image from lazy security guard with no vision to blogger with a vision of fun and freedom. My habits followed my self-image.
Gone were lazy days spent idly. I began meditating, doing yoga and power walking to strengthen my mental muscle and physical muscles. I also put in many hours of blogging work daily as bloggers are wont to do.
Follow my lead by seeing yourself as a current day blogger to think, feel and act like a blogger.
Former employees who see self as former employees never think, feel and act like bloggers. People who do not think, feel and act like bloggers:
- make excuses like not finding time to blog
- make excuses about being too lazy to blog
- give up on blogging at the slightest bit of resistance
- run into obstacles left and right, feeling paralyzed by their limiting beliefs
- struggle with blogging
- fail blogging-wise
- quit blogging
Build a new, freeing image of self as a blogger. Treat yourself as a blogger. Treat your day as a blogger would treat their day. Get serious about blogging. Be committed. No one goes pro overnight but being committed to blogging for 1000s of hours leads to a professional blogging career. Of course, you need to see yourself as a blogger to commit to blogging for 1000s of hours.
Observe how changing your self-image involves shifting your values. I valued comfort as a security guard. I value freedom as a blogger. Shifting my values created the effect of changing my self-image.
Make a similar shift to change your self-image.
Beware the ego; it clings to comfort, depression and limitations. Face your fears as you shift your values to change your self-image. The ego uses fear to pull you back into comfort and confining self-images. Freedom sits outside of your comfort zone, beyond fear keeping you bound and unhappy.
Change your self-image. Leave your old life in the past. Do not cling to it; let it go. Step into a new, freeing way to live by being a blogger now. Be all in. Go for it. See yourself as a blogger to BE a blogger now, doing as bloggers do to until you become a professional blogger.
Making this shift feels uncomfortable sometimes but all blogging success flows to you well outside of your comfort zone.