A perhaps counter-intuitive message on persistence
We hear so much of the following:
- You have to persist to succeed
- Hard work will bring success
- Get out as much content as you can
And that's all true. But what these things don't give is advice around time-frames. It can lead to a little "over-load" really.
Most of us have jobs, some with long commutes, families, pets, hobbies, housework and home management to fit into our lives. All of this added together drives in the opposite direction to the three bullet points above.
That's where we need to make an honest assessment. It's so easy to feel bad that you haven't added a post in a week. Or that you haven't watched any of the training, or that you haven't interacted in the classrooms or with other members about site design. This is what you need to do:
SLOW DOWN!
Then
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!
So what if you didn't do any of these things. It's not a sign that you have abandoned your goal. It's still there, life just got in the way. Give yourself a break. Plan time to work, but don't plan too much. An hour here and there is better than non at all and will silence that inner critic.
Use Goal Theory
In 1969 Latham and Locke conducted a series of experiments and found that setting challenging, yet achievable goals is a great way to increase intrinsic motivation (that is motivation that comes from within, rather than from an external source - such as financial reward). Intrinsic motivation has long been cited as the best and longest lasting type of motivation. It's therefore in your interest to develop intrinsic motivation in your marketing endeavors.
I wrote my undergraduate and post graduate dissertations on this topic, so bear with me. In my studies I cite goal theory to be the best example of motivation theory for application to everyday life.
Set a goal. "two blog posts this week". Or "research for two blog posts". Or "make notes on some training this week". Whatever it is, it should be challenging, yet achievable. If you have a lot of spare time, plan more. If you have little plan less.
I hope this helps you to find a sustainable path to success here at WA :)
Recent Comments
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Thanks Paul, great blog, we all have to schedule in time to work on our websites and on the trainings, without getting demotivated, by not accomplising our tasks. you put it very clear: "If you have a lot of spare time, plan more. If you have little plan less."
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Paul you are so right mate, dont beat yourself up about not being able to work on your site as much as you would like to, it is very much a learning process and I have already been back over a few lessons and guess what second time around I was better by taking my time.