Human beings are funny.
You like me see someone online – a blogger or entrepreneur or whomever – living some dream life, and assume they always lived the dream, based on a split second snap shot.
Call it the Facebook effect. Or whatever you’d call assuming that a split second of happiness makes someone lucky or blessed or talented or brilliant, for their entire lives.
Yesterday, I found something in the closet of my parent’s home. I visited my pops to see if I could help with raking the lawn. After 2 hours of solid raking I saw him sifting through the closet. I then spotted 2 reflective coats from my security guard days (why so many 2’s?).
Over 10 years ago I was a security officer. I did not know what a blog was. I did not know about SEO or how to make money blogging. I had no idea how to build a successful online business.
I had only worked for people to get a paycheck.
Ok; as you see from the photo above, I also received 2 sweet, weather-proof, kick butt reflective coats that will serve me well during my night runs in a cold NE US climate.
Anyway, to go from security guard to island hopping, Amazon best-selling, pro blogger, I had to change my morning routine, to change my energy, to purge my fears, to do things from love and fun, and to persistently act inspired to live the dream life I live today.
The proof is in the reflective coat; I was a different dude back then. But to become a successful pro blogger I needed to change my morning routine.
Old School Morning Routine
During my security guard days I woke up, grabbed a bagel and watched the news or Sportscenter. Nothing wrong with this routine. Some successful online entrepreneurs follow a similar routine. But I guarantee you; even if you succeed online you are one millionth of what you would be, if you choose the news and breakfast over meditating, doing yoga and perhaps jumping into an icy cold shower (talk to your doctor first, you blogging pop-sicle you).
Sports is light entertainment. The news is fear-based content. Not exactly the mental and spiritual breakfast of champions.
Video
Watch this video as I explain this idea – in my reflective coat – in detail.
Guys, to go from fear-based living (working a job you dislike to get numbers on paper just to feed yourself and put a roof over your head) to dream-based living, changing your morning routine is beyond critical.
Here’s why: to go from fear to love and abundance, you need to do inner clearing. Following a morning routine consisting of meditation, prayer, yoga – either singly, or, collectively – helps you purge deep fears so you do things from a place of love, fun, service, generosity and…..from a place of success.
My Deal
Even after I became a pro blogger I had a lot of fears to clear. I still have fears to clear. No human being is ever truly done.
I recall Zac asking me to guest post on Blogging Tips. After publishing my first few guesties I expected to see a surge in list subscribers and blogging profits.
I did see a nice increase but not an avalanche in either department.
This feeling was a fear, manifest; I feared I may be wasting my time. I feared failure. I also feared being criticized, because appearing on this high profile blog exposed me to more people.
Doing my morning routine of meditation and exercise at that time helped me purge the fears. I became grateful for the steady increase of blog traffic and profits I received through my guest posting here. When you clear fear, you see things clearly.
What did I do, after purging the fears? I kept creating, without fearing what I would get out of any post. I dissolved much of the fear-based attachment to outcomes which plagues most bloggers.
For the heck of it, I checked my domain authority yesterday.
Blogging From Paradise scores a 50 DA with 18,500 links in. My guest posting here and yep, my 1,000 plus guest posts on other blogs helped me score such numbers.
But I care little about getting and focus mostly on giving, because I am leaving Survival Mode behind for good, all because I do not fear that I am not getting enough.
The release of that strong, failure-inducing, terrorizing fear began with my diligent morning routine.
Your first hour after waking molds your blogging day. Before you even touch your laptop.
Believe that!
Inspiration
If you need a little more inspiration, check out my Facebook Post. I share how you can succeed with blogging by addressing something called The Facebook Effect.