A new year is upon us, and with it is our annual tradition of making resolutions we abandon before Punxsutawney Phil has emerged from Gobbler’s Knob.
“Get out of debt” gives way to a 20% sale on shoes. “Get organized” is defeated as soon as you walk into your child’s bedroom. “Lose weight” is undone by an evil co-worker who brings doughnuts to the office.
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. So why do we make resolutions year after year?
We make them because we need purpose and direction. We make them because we need reason to believe this year will be better than the last.
We make them because maybe — just maybe — this will be the year we follow through.
Insanity? No way.
It’s optimism.
It’s hope.
Blogging Resolutions For The New Year
When you’re a blogger writing down personal resolutions like “lose weight” and “get organized,” it’s only natural to jot down blog-related ones such as “get more email subscribers” and “boost blog traffic.”
After all, we have dreams for our blogs. Goals we want to reach.
Sarah Burke of Spokal has published the New Year’s Resolutions for 25 bloggers.
The following is one of my favorites.
Yes…
It’s mine.
I have one simple, modest New Year’s Resolution…
One more.
One more devoted reader. One more email subscriber. One more follower on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.
One more comment from someone who loves my writing. One more laudatory email from a stranger. One more stranger-turned-friend.
One more blog post that motivates people. One more post that answers a question readers didn’t know how to ask. One more post that inspires someone on the other side of the world to create a blog of their own.
One more chance to be mentioned in the same breath as Darren Rowse, Neil Patel, and Jon Morrow. One more chance to earn enough money to quit my day job. One more chance to work from home and spend as much time with my lovely wife as possible.
One more opportunity to make my dreams come true.
One more.
Just one more.
Of course, a funny thing has happened in the time since I gave Sarah my resolution. The situation with my “day job” has changed.
I’ve been promoted. I am now, inconceivably, the boss.
A blessing from above? Absolutely. But there’s no two ways about it: My busy schedule has become even busier.
It’s going to be harder to set aside the time I want to dedicate to this blog each week.
It’s going to be harder to balance blogging, my job, and my family life.
It’s going to be harder to achieve my New Year’s Resolutions.
Nothing Worth Having In This World Comes Easy
Harder doesn’t mean impossible, though.
It just means harder.
The dreams I had for this blog when I started it — the goals I outlined in my New Year’s Resolution above — still exist. And I’m still going to do everything I can to achieve them.
And you know what? If I can do it, so can you.
“Life” is going to get in the way of your goals this year. It’s inevitable.
Financial goals will be met by your car needing new tires. Career goals will be derailed by pointy-haired bosses and endless streams of meetings. Health goals will be sabotaged by doughnuts.
Don’t turn obstacles into excuses.
Overcome. Take the road less traveled.
No, it won’t be easy. But so what?
Easy is boring. Easy is unrewarding.
Easy is so 2014.
We Can Do It
Those email subscribers you desire are out there. So, too, are thousands of social media followers.
Your dream website is waiting for you to submit the greatest guest post of all time.
Your next devoted reader is one blog post away.
Whatever goals you may have for your blog, you can reach them. You just have to keep your eyes on the prize.
Are you ready?
Your best blogging year ever starts…
Now.
Flickr Creative Commons Images via Peter Thoeny.
