What's The Use
What's the Use?
After recently having a stranger contact me out of the blue to request that we "share audiences", I posted a blog about it. I must admit, it made me feel pretty good after about a year and a half of building my website, writing original content and curating articles, someone thought enough about my site to want to contribute to it.
So I posted here at WA a and I got a lot of nice comments and words of encouragement, letting me know that it helped to encourage them, too.
One member wrote, "This is great. I have lost my way over the last couple of months, this has inspired me to get going again..."
How many of us can relate to that sentiment? I know I surely can. I've felt lost and defeated many times. Fortunately, there comes a time when something occurs to inspire us enough to get us back on track.
It's not uncommon to throw up your arms after a period of seeming lack of interest by the rest of the world and think, "What's the use?!" Those of us who work alone in our home office, kitchen, dining room, or local cyber cafe, seldom get any input from outside our little circle of light that the overhead lamp affords us.
So, it's easy to forget we aren't in a vacuum or some void floating in cyberspace inconspicuously to the outside world. Our only true measure of success remains to be those little victories - like an unsolicited comment out of the blue from a complete stranger offering a nice compliment to our article, or an email from one of our affiliates, announcing that we've just made a sale.
And I'm here to tell you that if you stick it out, and you constantly work through those times when you "just don't feel like it" or find yourself with your head in your hands, asking "what's it all for?" or. what's the use?" If you do it anyway, - it WILL pay off.
I'm just coming out of a slump myself, and my last slump was a doozy. Didn't post anything here at WA for a spell, and I left my websites unattended, too. It's not for lack of content. I can always find something to write about.
However, I don't always share much during my down times while I'm going through it, because that just doesn't seem very productive. And besides, I never ever doubt for a moment that something very good is about to happen at which point, then, I have something good to share with all of you.
And hopefully, it's something you can use.
Recent Comments
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I think we all get discouraged from time to time; It just needs to be kept at bay for as long as possible!
(That is so you can run across a blog like this one and get back on track!)
I am glad things are looking up a bit for you now Hal! I understand. I go through these slumps too. I don't want to whine to everyone here so I just go away for a while and wait for something good to happen as you said! Sometimes I really do want to whine to my friends here though and get some encouragement! With all the ranking, accusatory drama with people attacking those who write anything less than encyclopedic on here it makes some of us feel like we should just crawl back in a hole for awhile and hope those people go away! When I tried to stand up to them to defend others I was slammed for it.
Anyway, I understand feeling like we are in a vacuum too. Sometimes when there is little traffic and no sales it feels like I am banging my head against the wall and wasting time.
I really like hearing other people's stories and knowing that it isn't just me!
Thanks,
Jessica
Wow, buddy. So heartfelt, clean and crisp honesty that speaks to us all. I tell you, my friend, a few years ago when health and treasure was all but gone and I was but a step from death and it seemed No Man Cared for My Soul, had I died my wife would have had to of hired pall bearers.
It's well said misery loves company and its true. The Reason she does is because her chicken sh*t friends walk out when needed most.
You are now and always will be my buddy, Hal. You never walk alone.
BTW. There is definitely NOTHING WRONG with your writing.
Most Excellent!!
-Bear
Thanks for being so honest about feeling defeated at times. It must be that 6 month mark after we’ve poured time and effort into our site, to see no results at all. Sometimes even encouraging words just roll off our backs. Getting started again takes more out of you than when you first get started. It took a response from a fellow member Angela Hall to encourage me with the free help she offered and sent me. I couldn’t believe it. A stranger actually spent her time in the middle of moving to give a life raft. More than above and beyond. Here’s to responding when you can tell another member is feeling down. Am so thankful for Angela and all like her!
Pat B
"What's the use" hasn't really been my issue, but losing interest has. I used to write quite a bit on WA and have been asked by a number of people to step down from doing that.
I came back and wrote again but not near as much. I was confronted by a couple folks on here that I was putting useless stuff on here for the sake of maintaining my rank.
So I stopped altogether. I no longer write posts on here for two reasons - I really don't have anything to say that would contribute to the community and I don't want to be thought of as trying to rank on here.
I had some fair performance out of my campaigns at one time but have had my share of stuff hindering my progress, too many to delve into here.
I had someone on here through whose instruction and help was completely responsible for all the money I have made with WA. I went through some rough times and voiced that to that person. The fact that I was writing on here and not doing much with my campaigns at the time turned this person off and I was dumped to the curb faster than I could spin my head.
This has been an awful let down for me. A few on here think I should disappear and go the way many others have, to be forgotten and part of the era when I had my heyday on here.
So, though I did not throw up my hands saying, "What's the use?" I have been in a batting slump like I never have been in. I apologize that it seems I just don't have the right personality to do this and thrust my way into it in spite of the handicap.
I feel the weight of it. I tried to write a new article but I couldn't even complete that. It's still on the new content creation tool on here.
I did recently update my WA review.
Speaking of reviews, there has been quite a number of attacks against WA for alleged teaching members how to create fake reviews. I don't believe this is taught here, and in fact, I know it, but it's getting known throughout the Internet, and of course, misconstrued by folks out there that retaliate against those from here who do write reviews without due diligence in proper research.
This fault does not lay with Wealthy Affiliate, but some members who are not following instructions.
I myself have been called on the carpet several times for not actually purchasing a product, going into it and experiencing it for myself.
This is one of the reasons I stopped writing reviews - because I don't have the funds to be purchasing the better products out there so I can have some positive reviews on my website rather than all negative.
I have written this with a pit in my stomach. I've lost some friends on here. There are some that won't even communicate with me anymore. I do have personality issues due to how I was brought up - stuff I've never been able to get over, and this has gotten into trouble a number of times on here and is why I am not suitable for competitive employment either, and so I don't blame anybody. I spend most of my time in seclusion, but have support locally from church members who, with love, have stepped in to help me improve my life to some degree. I have been given support I've never had, a vital part of childhood denied me when I needed the most.
This is just one more terrible failure in my life and it's been painful. To have some people that I really looked up to on here turn on me has been devastating and it is hard to brush this off.
I apologize for the fact that this is on the negative side and that it's very long. I have not written on here in some time and needed to say something to get it off my chest. Your post kind of opens old wounds for me.
This is nothing new but I would say don't let a few bad apples spoil everything for you here. I got along well with everyone here until this summer and then suddenly I was getting slammed for trying to help others out when they were in the crosshairs of a few vicious attacks by ruthless "Ambassadors" and those who have recently shifted into the Ambassador ranks.
I never had any problem at all before that but it was enough to turn me off too. Some people just can't let others live their own lives and butt out. They can't keep their mouth shut and mind their own business. Don't let them get to you. They are the problem, not you.
Jessica
Wow, Daniel. Sorry if I brought negative experiences to the forefront. That certainly wasn't my intention, and speaking inly for myself, I never write anything with the intention of ranking here. I just love to write.
At times, I can't seem to ever run out of words and at other times, that river of word dries up for a spell. What brings me down is when I get writer's block where my website is concerned. And it's not always writer's block, per se, but that my particular niche can compel me to stop writing out of sheer sadness.
2016 was a perfect example because my main niche is Baby Boomers. As you know, a lot of famous people passed away within that one year; several were icons and people I grew up with. Felt as if I knew them personally. Some, I had actually met and have some anecdotes I have yet to write about.
David Bowie, Prince, Glen Frey, Elie Weisel, Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds. So I got quite depressed and had to take a hiatus from writing about my heroes moving into the light of the next world. Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, James Garner...
So I spent more time at WA for a while, trying to keep my writing chops up. Writers write. It's what we do. I don't have to tell you that. You're one if the more prolific members of WA, Daniel. If anyone ever told you to stop, writing, you should just brush it off. If you feel compelled to write, then write you must! If someone thinks you're posting to improve your rank, then they're probably projecting their own intentions on you.
So write. Write on, Daniel!
mic drop
I am glad, for the sake of the members, that Kyle and Carson cleaned house with regard to some of those that did not belong in the high ranking where they would be such an impact on others.
The same with me - was able to help pretty well the first few years here but after my third, it shattered much the say way as with you. I had to learn the hard way that I was not suitable to be helping others when I'm not there myself.
There are a few on here whom I've had times of great encouragement, and I've needed it. I am single and don't have many friends, so losing friendships like this terribly weighs heavy on me. The fact that I've made plenty of mistakes, perhaps far too many for their comfort, to essentially be told to get lost, or worse - silence.
I try not to be burdensome. I try not to be arrogant or negative. I admit, I'm playing hands with just a half a deck and all I can do is keep trying with what I have. I thought it was funny one day, when I worked at a tannery, I took some high cards out of the beat-up deck of cards they had and watched them try to play Rummy several days without two each of the kings, jacks, and maybe two 10s..
Not so funny when I find myself in that predicament.
It does get me down and I get weary - and I make others weary.
I understand what both of you are saying. And it has been much worse than it is now. But I'm getting older and I share in the fact that I'm an aging Baby-boomer that never got anywhere.
People rarely stay on an even keel - they either grow smarter - or they grow dumber with age.
I need to start over again. I don't mean wiping out my website, but starting from the beginning here in the lessons. Even when I'm very active in this stuff, I have to constantly go back and relearn stuff over and over again. I had my psychedelic era and though unforgettable times, there followed the reckoning - or wreckoning.
When it comes to interests, I am way out in left field. There is very little that I have in common with most people and I've been offered help in the way of suggested niches - and failed at every one. They just don't hold my interest very long and it becomes an awful chore to write about them. The things that interest me are out of league with most people and can share them with very few, nor are they the least bit popular.
I need alternatives to writing reviews. I don't feel right writing them when I can't afford to purchase the programs so the reviews can be properly done. I was approaching them from the standpoint of the invalid marketing methods many of those I've reviewed had.
Again, I've been told that's the wrong way to approach product reviews, but I have learnt about advertising and how it can be misused. I felt comfortable with it because rather than go into the product itself, I ripped apart many scams by their sales tactics. This alone speaks a great deal about the products themselves.
Most people have no idea they're being taken to the cleaners with this stuff!
It also takes me a long, long time. I can't just throw stuff together like some people can and get away with it. I've lost JV opportunities because of this.
It's been a rough go and sometimes, like tonight, I should be in be now, but again, another night with little sleep and then wind up sleeping half the day away.
I appreciate your response. I've always had a rough time in the secular realm, and that hasn't changed very much.
No. It's a great post and there's nothing negative about it at all. I will add more, but I need to go to bed now and return when I awaken.
I have very few on my Buddy List these days, and you are one of the few I have. I have just added Jessica.
[...]
Your post shows me that I'm not the only one who goes into writer's block. I find this gets much worse when writing on topics for other people or in a niche that may be a so-called money-maker but is monotonous.
I promoted the GoPro camera for some time. Though I chose something to write about - the history of the camera, it held my interest but when dealing with GoPro itself and its line of products, after all that work, I never made a dime.
The final downfall was that I had "GoPro" in the domain name and that's what ground that to a halt.
The difference with this, than any other campaign I have run, is that I purchased the camera and I had substance in my hand, something I could experience and could at least write about that - but people began with questions about underwater lighting and so forth, as if I had this equipment.
This is where it became shady, when I had to go online trying to research some of this stuff and had come up with false information from I guess, the wrong sources. It's pretty easy to do if you don't have the products in hand.
I'm still using old technology and completely out of touch with modern culture, so not much to talk about there. In the Rock genre, yes, the same here - Joe Cocker, the James Gang, yes, Leon Russell and myrads of psychedelic underground music, like Pearls Before Swine, Joe McDonald, Hydro Pyro (The Deep) and hundreds of others, which music I still have and listen to. But nobody gets into any of this anymore and basically, the only modern music I do listen to today is the more ambient electronic space music and classical music.
Today it's Hip Hop and rap music that permeates the culture where I live and I hate that stuff with a sheer passion. We may have played our music loud in the day, but it had a message to it (most of it.) and often someone has to come along in their cars with $10,000 stereo systems equipped to not only be heard, but felt by folks in their homes. Well, I guess I'm asserting my Baby-boomer status.
I went through my childhood neglected and severely abused. I was one of those kids that got picked on and at times been bloodied up. Our family was hated because we came off different to others. I got it from my parents, even picked on by my older brothers, and I got it in school. This eventually got me sent to a private school, which did little good except get me out of the environment I was in.
I was never able to get into any decent job positions and throughout that time I was targeted because I did not think nor act like everybody else. I was single, never had a woman and became the joke of the shop in most cases.
Even today, it's extremely hard for me to brush stuff off that most people would have no problem doing, and one of the traits that doesn't help me with entrepreneurship is the fact that one must be able to do this. This too, has been a bane for me.
All this, being in the past, still affects me. It pretty much makes me who I am today. I live far away from my family but recently have been able to convince my two sisters that I'm not what they thought I was. My move to Florida turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have ever made because there are people who have been helping me integrate better. My mother was right - I never amounted to anything, but I'm with a group now that give me the dignity and love that I never had. I'm still very disorganized and easily distracted. This has frustrated several people who have tried to reach out to me here at Wealthy Affiliate.
Some of these people have determined that I am my own worst enemy. This may be the case, but I still have not given up with this even though I've gained little ground in over seven years. I deal with depression and lack of self-esteem. This is why it weighs heavy on me when people tell me to refrain from writing on here for various reasons - one of which is the sheer fact that my campaigns have suffered. I take what I get from others very seriously like looking into a mirror.
Thanks for sharing this Hal. This is why I feel it is so important that we do try to support, inspire and motivate each other here, as well as offering advice, support and guidance for the technical, marketing etc. areas of our businesses.
A bit of positive affirmation can be the difference between winning or losing. And the loss of a dream can be devastating. So, I feel that the paying it forward philosophy should certainly include the encouragement and advocacy which can be found around this caring community. Sue :)
Thanks, Sue. I believe that to be my life's mission. If I never become billionaire, I hope to be instrumental in creating at least one. I may not be rich monetarily, but I consider myself very wealthy in many ways. The money's just icing on the cake.
At least you pick yourself back up. Glad you did cause no one else would. Make it happen Hal.
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We get so busy trying to survive on income barely paying for the bills. It reminds us that nothing is free. We must work hard and smart. Thank you for your blog. It is very encouraging.
You nailed it. Too many think they can get away with working smart, but not hard. Well, maybe you can. But not when you're first getting started. And you should keep reinvesting in your business. It's not a one time thing. It's a rinse and repeat thing.