Bloggers often believe that established, pro bloggers were always established, pro bloggers.
Perhaps you know on a conscious level that all pros began blogging with 0 followers and 0 blogging profits. But unconsciously, ego does the odd thing of assuming that since someone drives steady traffic and earns steady profits that things must have always been that way.
Nope.
One aspect of blogging largely goes unnoticed: pro bloggers were once amateurs who blogged without anyone reading, watching or observing them for quite a long time before going pro.
Take a top blogger like Harsh Agrawal. When he bought his domain and hosting no one knew him as Harsh Agrawal the top blogger. Ditto for established, pro blogger Anil Agarwal. When he began blogging no one knew him as the pro who runs Bloggers Passion. Both Harsh and Anil needed to work in the cyber shadows for a while before becoming successful. Pros work when absolutely nobody is watching for a bit before the first few visitors and dollars flow to and through your blog.
For whatever reason, your ego does not like admitting that all pros were unknown amateurs with zero followers at one time. Actually, the main reason why your ego hates admitting this truth is because you can no longer make excuses when you know that pro bloggers had no followers and zero blogging profits, during their early days. Bloggers would rather make the excuse that a top pro blogs on easy street with a huge following; OF COURSE blogging is easy for Harsh and Anil, right?
But like every human being who has ever blogged, blogging was sometimes uncomfortable, challenging and a bit difficult for both of these blogging leaders during their beginner blogger days. Few bloggers notice the fact that both pros were once amateurs who worked in quiet – with nobody watching or following – for a bit. This is the way it goes for every professional blogger. Begin blogging as an amateur. Work when nobody seems to be watching. Develop your skills. Eventually, success will find you, and you will go pro, but only after years of blogging work.
Cori Leigh built her thriving online business after putting in work for a while. She worked in private to shine on a public stage. I put in my time and effort to be where I am now. 3 visitors daily seemed to find my old blog by accident, 13 years ago in 2008. Patiently, persistently and generously working in the cyber shadows with nobody watching but me polished my skills, increased my exposure and solidified my credibility
Everything changes if you do not skirt over the fact that pro bloggers work in private as amateurs without anybody watching or following for a while. Own this truth. Never make excuses that blogging always seemed to come easily for pros; this is virtually never the case. No pro is a pure natural because every seasoned blogger needs to work at it for a bit before gaining skills, exposure and credibility. Every pro worked in the cyber shadows before slowly but steadily building their online business.
Get to work on your blog. Know that overnight success does not exist. Before envying the success of any professional blogger, do you envy the amount of work they put in to go pro? Do you feel jealous of bloggers who put in 1000’s of blogging work hours before becoming professional bloggers?
Be envious of their work before you become green with envy over their spoils.
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This is an awesome post Ryan and one that takes me back to my newbie – blogger humble beginnings! I began in 2012 didn’t understand anything about starting and growing a blog. I knew even less about online business and truthfully didn’t even think about that part yet.
So true that ego certainly can get in the way of how we perceive what is real or true. Especially as it pertains to how successful bloggers became pro! I remember the self-doubt and fear that caused challenges for me as a beginner blogger.
What was uncomfortable starting out definitely became easier with a few blogging courses, practice, much time – and pro bloggers. Without these special successful bloggers, I would still be an amateur blogger today. Thanks so much for the kind mention friend!
Those newbie blogger days felt like an entirely different world, right Cori? You are a blogging star. Keep on shining my friend.
Hey Ryan, You nailed it very well.
Yes, everyone starts with zero followers and zero traffic. We have to get the motivation from existed blogs and have to work on our projects with full concentration.
Thank you Ryan for this post.
Keep post such awesome content.