To Blog or Not to Blog...That is the Question.
While discussing the many varied options for building my business with my own executive coach last year, the topic of blogging came up. I should say my awesome coach presented the topic of me writing a blog in a style better defined as “heaving a dead weight up the side of a very steep and large mountain.” The woman knows me. She knows me well. She knew I would kick and fight against the topic. She knew I wasn’t going to see this as something I would find merit in doing anytime soon. We discussed all the pros of sharing aspects of the somewhat mysterious work I do to attract clients, which is why many entrepreneurs begin blogging. Barf. I can’t write stuff to attract clients. I hate sales and I hate selling.
Then we began talking about the merits of getting my expertise and knowledge out there to help others. That was when it dawned on me that it might actually benefit people. Oh, I also still had lots and lots and lots of reasons why it was a stupid idea.
Reasons I told my coach that me writing a blog is a stupid idea:
1) my clients don’t have time to read blogs as they barely have time to breathe.
inaccurate: some of my clients don’t read blogs as they are barely finding time to breathe; however, many of my clients do find time to read and actually enjoy learning from others in mediums resembling blogs…we call this thought distortion of mine “all or nothing thinking”
2) my clients aren’t interested in my random thoughts or research used to move them forward as they are just looking for support.
meh. Actually, my clients are often able to transform their thinking (also known as metacognition) through the insights I share, and subsequently discover intrinsic motivation to do the work required for behavior change…we call this thought distortion of mine “mind reading”
3) my business priorities are clear and spending time writing a blog is not one of them!
welllllll, my initial priorities didn’t include writing blogs but when I looked at my mission and goals, getting helpful info out there that positively impacts the lives of others is one of my own deeply held values, and a huge source of my own motivation to persevere in this scary space of entrepreneurship.
4) people will think what I have to say isn’t worth the time it takes to read my stuff.
Yup! Professional coaches supporting clients in removing self limiting beliefs have their own inner critics too! We are just human beings. With amygdalas that are doing a wonderful job keeping us safe. And small. I wasn’t called to do small things with my life so giving in to this one and holding back just leaves me with painful cognitive dissonance…we call this thought distortion of mine “fortune telling”
I remembered what one of my biggest lessons since leaving a corporate career and setting out on my very own was: I only need to care about the critiques of others when they are someone who is also vulnerably exposing their underbellies, fighting the good fight in “the arena” with me. These brave peers will have information that can help me learn and get better at helping others. Spectators who think what I write is crap are certainly allowed to have their opinions, and they may very well be right! However, if you aren’t fighting in the arena with me, leading others while walking on your own journey of bravery with your bag of best intentions slung over your shoulder, I’m not interested in your commentary. I don’t intend to sample the distractions of views from folks comfortably sitting up in the stands, watching and critiquing, but also taking zero risks while doing nothing to help solve the big hairy problems we in the arena are fighting to remedy. I learned this from Brene’ Brown years ago while I was intentionally doing bold and scary things to innovate as a corporate leader in a complex, ambiguous and incredibly challenging environment. That lesson applies here too.
This is about where my awesome coach smiles wide, sits back in her chair, looking me square in the eyes while tilting her head and says, “so when can I expect to see your first blog post, Janelle?”
Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright. I’ll write. BUT, it will be in my preferred style of authenticity and candor. I’m not calling it a blog either. So there.