I spent far too much time this past summer watching the Olympics in Beijing. It wasn't a total loss, however, because after awhile I began to realize what I was really watching was the net result of determination and effort over (for the most part) a considerable amount of time. Of course I know there are some whiz-kids out there, athletic meteors that fly out from nowhere and amaze us with their talents and abilities, and appear to be effortless in their accomplishments. But for the most part, getting to the Olympics ~ and the coveted Gold Medal ~ takes education, effort, and determination, much like developing a business at home; and, if you're hoping to make money at it, blogging as a focus of that business..
The realization I mentioned above made me think a bit deeper. I have been involved in a home-business for awhile, and have recently stepped into the world of blogging; hoping to be able to work more at home than from home. But with all the information out there, I felt really overwhelmed and in over my head, not to mention wondering what I ~ an over-40 at-home mom who only recently stepped out from just sending emails ~ was doing in the world wide web. So being the homeschool teacher that I am, I began to look at the situation. Generally knowing how those athletes got there, could I learn anything from them? You betcha!
Education is fundamental. Without exception, every world-class athlete spends time at the gym, learning the basics, new routines, and ways to stand out from the competition. Combined with that is good coaching: someone who's been there and done that, and is on the other end of the learning curve, someone who can point out mistakes and help you do better. It's the same with blogging. So I began searching the internet for "how-to's", reading articles about making money from blogging, finding free or low-cost ways to advertise. Education is a way to focus you when you're confused; good coaching is a way to get you moving when you're stuck.
Effort is a given. If you're attempting to make blogging ~ or any form of a home-based business ~ work, it's gonna take effort. Carefully consider what your time constraints are, write-out a tentative schedule of when you're free to work...then stick to it! Coaching, or any form of accountability with another person, is really helpful in this area as well. It keeps you going when you know you have to tell someone if you did what you planned to do last week!
Determination is essential. All the education and work in the world won't amount to much if you let yourself stay down when you fall. Despite the hyped-up claims of overnight wealth you find on the internet, a solid business takes time to develop. During your "training", you'll get tired and discouraged, get an injury, be waylaid for a myriad of reasons ~ just like any athlete; but if you're really motivated to succeed, keep educating yourself when you find a need, and keep working, there is no good reason you have to fail!
So there you have it ~ what I learned about developing my home business, and being successful at blogging ~ from the Summer Olympics. Not a bad set of lessons to apply to most anything!
Pat Fenner is a veteran homeschooler with 2 young adults in college and 3 elementary-age children at home. She is a distributor for health and wellness products made by an international company and runs a network marketing business from home. Her passion is to see fellow homeschoolers plug into the skills and passions they already have to create a lasting income for their family. Keep up with her at her blog http://www.networkfromhome.squarespace.com and sign up for her newsletter Homeschoolers Work! |
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