One cool aspect of living the internet lifestyle is that I get to travel frequently.
We just landed another house sit on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City.
Last week we wrapped up a house sit in East Harlem, not 3 blocks from Central Park.
During these sits I either walk or run in Central Park with my wife. This peaceful, serene haven situated in a bustling city is the preferred spot for runners, walkers and bikers to frequent, for cardio sessions.
I vividly recall one running session recently. Wifey and I woke at 5 AM for a morning run. I felt exhausted. Poor night’s sleep. Tired as a dog. But fitness is A1 for me – how could I find the energy to write 230 posts for this blog alone UNLESS I exercised daily? – so I rolled out of bed and ran.
As I looked around me I noticed something funny; both weekend warrior types and serious runners were huffing and puffing, mouth breathing like mad, pushing themselves to the limit.
Meanwhile, I was calmly cruising along at a slower but steadier pace, breathing only through my nose, enjoying the beautiful morning scenery.
I snapped a selfie while running and posted to Instagram.
See how calm, cool and collected that guy is?
The Successful Blogging Lesson
Most bloggers are like both the out of shape runners and serious runners who push themselves to the limit, huffing and puffing, straining struggling and striving. 8 out of 10 bloggers fail because they burn out.
1 out of 10 bloggers succeeds but they work so darn hard that they never enjoy the ride.
These 9 out of 10 bloggers above are the mouth breathers, the folks *forcing* themselves into failure, or for the select few, success.
Then you have Ryan. Me. The nose breather. The guy taking his time as he runs, relaxing, putting in his 45 to 60 minutes, enjoying the ride the whole time. As both out of shape and in shape runners lap me, I could care less. I use power, not force.
Guaranteed, 6 months from now, when those 8 of 10 runners totally out of shape quit running because they burned out and when the 1 of 10 serious runners enter marathons but despise getting up to run in the morning I will still be cruising along, in shape, happy, fit and trim, and I may be running for 90 minutes at that time. Who knows?
I am the 1 in 10 runner. Just like I am the 1 in 10 blogger.
I enjoy the ride. I take my time. I don’t push myself. I may go slower than most failing or even top bloggers but in the end, I will probably lap almost everybody many times because I blog from a place of power, not force.
I do not push myself. No mouth breathing here. But I am still in shape. Running-wise. Blogging-wise. Because I am pulled by my fun, by my passion and by something bigger than me to do something epic and inspired for my fellow blogger.
500 Guest Posts on Just 2 Blogs
Between Blogging Tips and The Huffington Post I have published 500 plus guest posts.
Add in hundreds of more guest posts and I may be approaching 1000 during my online career.
How did I do it?
Not by pushing myself. Not by forcing, or working hard all the time, or by straining or striving.
I am pulled. I follow my fun. I dive into my fears. I persist to serve while other bloggers hustle to earn profits.
I am the tortoise. Not the hare.
We all know who wins that race, right?
Your Turn
Are you trying too hard? Or are you being pulled by your fun, taking your time, enjoying the ride and serving as you succeed?
Have you noticed how failing and successful bloggers alike burn out when they push themselves? And how the happiest, healthiest, most fun-loving bloggers seem to take their time?