Since i started this blog in July 2010, i have been publishing a post every 2-3 days. Friends who have been following me should be familiar with my posting frequency. I have a short break last week due to my Chinese New year holidays which i totally enjoyed. It was a good break away from my regular job but i thought it had a bad effect to my blog. Why is that so?
- It disrupt my momentum for my blog
- It killed my creative juice for my post content
- It destroy my focus
I had it coming. I knew the holidays was coming. I allowed myself to distant from anything related to blogging, thinking a short break will be beneficial. After the holidays were over, i felt i was dragging myself to the blogosphere. Suddenly there was a lost in passion and interest. The momentum that i created was disappearing. I had no ideas on what to write for the next post.
I can’t really explain why it happens. Most likely the focus is not in the mind anymore. For long, blogging has been circulating in my brain and this allows me to fully focus on my blog. During the short break, my mind just wander and think of other things. I am not visiting blogs, commenting on blogs and thinking of post ideas. My mind was blank when i tried to refocus after the break.
I actually wanted to publish a post yesterday but i told myself why don’t i do that today. Once again there was a voice telling me well, we can wait for one more day, it should be fine if we publish tomorrow. That certainly spells bad sign. I need to do something about it, i simply cannot afford to delay any further. If i do that, the post will never come.
- I forced myself to come out with a post
Mindset is very important in everything we do. If there is a voice coming from your mind, telling you that you can’t, most likely you won’t do it. I forced myself to come out with a post today. It allows me to refocus. Setting a time frame for myself certainly helps.
What else did i do to rediscover the passion and interest?
- Think about all the positive side on my blog
I tend to think about all my blog friends, readers and visitors who commented. Revisit archives page helps a lot as it records how my blog starts from zero visitors to few hundred visitors every month.
- Recap my goals
Why did i set up Findmyblogway? This is the thing i reminded myself, to provide value to all my visitors. My belief is strengthened once again once i think of that.
- Stick to my posting frequency
To regain the momentum once again and continue working on the routine blogging task. I won’t be taking any break unnecessary unless i am having blogging burnout.
- Treat my blog as a baby
Findmyblogway is seven months old and i need to keep it growing. Cultivate the responsibility in the role of a fatherly figure allows me to stick with my blog as long as i can.
To be frank, i am a bit surprise when this happens as i always think blogging is my biggest passion. Just when i find myself dragging my hands to the keyboard is a bit worrying. Once this post is up, i believe i will be gaining back my momentum and focus. Once i see your comments, my energy is revitalized, so please leave a comment to share your thoughts.
How do you maintain your passion?
Do you take any breaks from blogging?
Do you ever suffer any loss of passion and interest in your blog?
How do you recover from it?
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Glad to see you back. I do take break but only when I have something to do. I would be taking blogging break by next week because I will be starting my exams. Thinking about the positive things will surely bring you back to life. Posting when you have something good to say will help avoid blogging burn out. Thanks for sharing bro. Rock on!
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Samuel,
Taking a break from the exams is essential as it is your priority. Unless it’s something which require my focus, i won’t be taking breaks unnecessary to maintain the passion.
Thanks for the support and comments.
Lye
Hi Lye I think this happens to everyone, and sometimes it can last for a long time. I find it most happens to me when I don’t feel anyone is talking back or participating. This happened for a long time on my freelancing website – no one commented, but people were reading the posts and the podcast is growing enormously. So I wrote a post that was purposefully controversial and got a response. It was good to know that someone was listening.
I think something to keep in mind to is that just because you may feel you don’t have something original to add it doesn’t make it true. Break out the mindmap, brainstorm more topics, go through old posts and see what can be expanded, or jump to a new medium like video or audio.
Keep it going man great stuff!
Robert Dempsey recently posted..Can You Really Make Money Online- How- And Who Can You Trust
I think thats a great suggestion Rob….mix things up…now that I think about it, thats probably why I have so much fun with my biz blog. Text, audio, video..next I want to add infographics …or maybe they wont be so much “info” as they will just be graphics, but still
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Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Robert,
It’s great that i know people are reading my post just wonder how i will feel uninterested towards blogging.
Your suggestion is great. I will certainly keep that in mind.
Thanks for the suggestion and comments.
Lye
Awesome post Lye,
I’ve also experienced the same but I think the best thing to do is ignore that feeling and force yourself to write no matter what – it worked for me.
Even though you said you are having a sudden lost of interest and passion in blogging I still see this post as highly informative and great. I strongly believe in you so keep on pumping out the great content!
-Onibalusi
Onibalusi Bamidele recently posted..How to Use Guest Blogging to Take Your Blog to the Next Level
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Oni,
Thanks Oni, you are someone whom i look up to and definitely inspire me to continue working hard for this blog.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lye
I also faced the similar situation on the last Christmas holiday. And as like you, I must force my self so can blog again. It is really dangerous if take to long holiday indeed. We may loss our touch.
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Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Dana,
Seems like it doesn’t happen to me alone. I think the most important is not to drift further and swift action need to be taken to overcome it.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
I think I’ve hit a hiccup with my blogging; I’m certainly having fun with it all but I think I’m being too distracted to work on the bigger items on my blog lately – I just need to complete a few items and then I think I should be back at it no problem (the fire is still there).
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Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Murray,
As long the fire is still there, it won’t be difficult to get things back to normal. We need to have fun to blog, that’s the most important thing.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Lye
I had a similar problem a long time back, and the first thing i did was contact some of my fellow bloggers through email, just to talk after a long time. That always can work wonders, catching up with the people you haven’t spoken too in ages, should be able to get you motivated.
Love the idea of treating your blog like a baby
Peter J recently posted..The irrelevance of being productive
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Peter,
Fellow bloggers can be a good help. I don’t think i need them yet unless i am having trouble in recover my passion but talking to someone who experience before will be a good way to overcome the problem.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Hi Lye,
Found you from Robert Dempsey’s blog.
I think blogging is no different than any other human endeavor. It is not always walk in the park. People close blogs all the time. Maybe you are ready to do that? Just kidding:)
I think all we’ve got is our passion for blogging. There is no other way to consistently blog but via passion. If passion dies, so will the blog. RIP.
But no worries…there is always fishing:)
BTW: I’m thinking about starting another blog, based on jokes and humor. And I’m not even funny;)
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Derek,
Nice to meet you and welcome.
Agree, passion is what keep our blogs alive. It’s not the end of the world if our blog dies. We just need to explore in other interest.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Lye
Hi Lye,
I can understand how you feel. Sometimes it’s hard to come back to the blogosphere. I feel that way sometimes when I’m bogged down with work from my regular job and I just come home and don’t feel up to blogging.
I’ll take a short break and actually try to find something creative to write. When I feel bogged down, I try to have some fun and be more creative. That was one reason I started my series relating blogging to lessons I would teach my son.
Richard recently posted..A Lesson I Would Teach My Child- Keep a Positive Attitude
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Richard,
It’s ok to take a break if the passion is always there. Just have a good rest and continue when you feel like writing. It’s dangerous to take a break when your passion is fading off and things will become worse.
Great to hear you are giving your son blogging lesson. Probably i should do that too when my son grows up.
Thanks for the comments, Richard.
Lye
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nice post
keep posting
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I think this happen to everyone but you are GREAT writer! I feel so excited and inspired about all your post. The above post also provides great information. So you think positive, stick to your goal and motivate yourself. I believe you can. Good luck!
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Lakshmi,
Thanks for the kind words. My writing has a lot of room for improvements. It’s always a flattery to hear one is inspired by my post.
Thanks also for the encouragement and comments.
Lye
Hi Lye,
I think what you need to ask yourself is, what’s at the source of my “lack of passion”? If you love what you do (which I know you do
), ultimately it’s something else that’s getting in your way.
Mindset as you said is vital! And continuing to take action even if the face of “I don’t want to”, is a powerful technique. But getting to the “why” of what’s causing you to feel this way is where real breakthroughs come.
Is it frustration? Do you have unrealistic expectations? Are you taking too much on? Are you attached to the outcome???
BTW, I only saying all of this, b/c this is something I too go through from time to time and it’s always the results of something other that my loss of passion for what I do… ya know?
Great job though… taking action even with all this mental stuff going on!!
Michele Welch recently posted..Going Offline To Seek Online Business
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Michele,
I hope the reason is i take a break from something i love to do and i felt lost.
Now i am not so worry after reading so many positive feedback from you and the rest, i am sure i want it more.
I had to be decisive and take action else i will just keep on delaying.
Thanks for all the suggestion Michele. Really appreciate your support.
Lye
Twitter: ditesco
Hi Lye. Good to see you back, although judging from what I have already seen you doing, I could tell right then and there that it was just a momentary lapse. You appear to be genuinely passionate with what you do and have a good thing going here. I honestly believe that “breaks” are important and that everyone should have one. If for some reason this take away the passion of blogging, then I think that this should be taken as a sign on why you’ve started in the first place. Finding it again is easy, for as long as it is there
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi DiTesco,
Breaks are indeed important but i think we need to have some schedule and plans for our blog. We just can’t take breaks as we like. It will really disrupt the momentum.
Blogging is always my passion and i agree with you this is just a momentary lapse.
Luckily everything is back in shape and i am really happy to have the support of so many friends.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Twitter: ditesco
HI Lye. Sorry for the dupe comment here but I meant to ask you one thing. That box before your comments, “what’s powering…”, is that a plugin, a script of some sort, or… I like it
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi DiTesco,
It was a PHP code where i learnt from Headway Hub. I just copy the code and change the title. The rest is the same.
Glad you like it. I think it’s really cool.
Lye,
I like your method of getting out of the slump. With blogging just like anything else in life can have stops on the line.
I ran into a similar situation in Dec. Like you having a bloggin schedule was helpful. I like a self-imposed necessity level since you really are relying on yourself to get things done.
My problem was examining and setting new goals for the New Year. It was tough to see what I did not accomplish and pick myself up by the bootstraps and go again.
Going back to my purpose in life and putting that first got me out of the slump and able to set new goals.
Have a great New Year of The Rabbit
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Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Sheila,
I didn’t see this coming and i had to get out fast. So i know i need a strong mindset to pick myself up.
Goals which are not accomplish can be completed as long as you remember to go back to it.
Thanks for the new year wishes. Have a great year ahead too.
Lye
Lye,
This is a prticularly helpful post becuase it shows that we’re all the same! We’re not superhuman, we have down times and can’t be enthusiastic every minute.
You forced yourself to write this post but it’s turning out to be an excellent one for us to discuss!
keep us ‘posted’ about how you feel.
Linda/Positive Spin recently posted..New! Free Service! Positive Spin Personalised
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Linda,
Yes, just like life, we do have our ups and downs. Most important thing is to find a way to get out of it when we are having downs.
Sure Linda, i will always be sharing my thoughts throughout my blogging journey.
Thanks for commenting.
Lye
Twitter: AdamPaudyal
Aha! Mindset Lye. Good thing you mentioned about this. Just got an awesome idea for a post (O:
Good to see you back brother and motivated more than ever before!
Later on..
Adam Paudyal recently posted..How To Stop Wanting And Start Having Just About Anything You Desire
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Adam,
Great, can’t wait to see what you have for your next post.
Sure i am as i am fully committed to this blog and all the friends and visitors.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
I think this is a pretty widespread problem. Any time I leave town or do not have ready access to a computer I tend to drop the ball. You break out of your rhythm…and it’s hard to convince yourself to get back into it because, let’s face it, it’s easier not to and to procrastinate.
There’s a lot of self-motivation that has to go into it. I think treating your blog like a baby can certainly do the trick…forcing yourself to think of it as a living, breathing thing that needs care and nourishment.
Eugene Farber recently posted..The Tyler Durden Effect Pt 2- 4 Ways to Start a Mini Revolution
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Eugene,
Indeed, i believe i need to consider the schedule if i ever need to take a break on vacation.
It’s all in the mind. This time round, i allow my mind to wander but there will be no repeat next time.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Lye
Lye,
This is tough to overcome, and I think we’ve all faced it. Glad to see you beat it, and glad to see the awesome advice you’ve shared for the rest of us!
One thing that has always helped me, whenever this problem rears its ugly head, has been to browse the web for blogs similar to mine, or other content with the same subjects I cover. This is inspirational, as I spend most of the time thinking to myself “I could do this so much better than they do.” It gets me fired up and really makes me kick it into high gear!
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Dave
You are welcome, i am just sharing my experience. I hope people will not have this problem often.
Thanks for sharing your ways to overcome the problem. Visiting other blogs especially blog of friends certainly help to fire things up.
Appreciate your comments Dave.
Lye
Hi Lye
As you know I have just gotten over ‘blogger burn out.’ WIth so many other important things going on in our lives it’s hard to stay focused and committed to our blogs. A positive mindset and a break is sometimes all we need to reignite the passion. Other times doing what David suggested works just as well.
Thanks for sharing.
Michael
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Michael,
I know you will fully understand this after what you have went through. Strong and positive mindset definitely helps to overcome obstacles whenever we face any.
Thanks for the comments brother.
Lye
I think that people very much base their lives around routine, so if that routine is broken, even enjoyable things like blog writing, can easily stop.
I think the only way to get back into blogging is to force yourself to do it as part of your daily routine for about a month, and by the end of the month, you’ll be doing it without having to force yourself to!
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