The first few weeks of blogging. You don’t know what you are doing, you do not know the platform, the rules, the principles. And, worst of all, you’re writing into a void.

You’re talking to yourself.

I remember feeling like this. I wasn’t sure if I was on the right path, or if I sucked big time, or if blogging without an audience is the kind of thing they lock you up for.

90% of all bloggers quit during these first few weeks. After all, it is illogical to pursue something if there’s no reward and no sign of progress, right?

Uhm… not quite.

There’s nothing worse than indifference.

In this social media age, it seems that indifference is what kills most people. It is not hate, but lack of feedback.

How can you figure out how good you are, what needs to be changed, and how to evolve, if no one is reading you?

Some of my clients have this exact problem. It’s almost impossible for them to figure out their target audience, to carve out a niche for themselves, because no one reads them.

The way I see it, there are two things you can do:

  • Read blogs that do have an audience (and comment on them)
  • Write, write, write

Also, one thing that rarely gets talked about is the fact that most people give up long before they delete their blogs. They tend to half-ass it, because it does not make much of a difference anyway. No one reads them, so why even bother?

Lack of enthusiasm is one of the deadly sins of blogging. If you are not passionate, driven, obsessed with pleasing your audience (even if that audience is imaginary at the moment), then you are not going to become successful.

Perseverance conquers all things.

Do not lose heart. This is extremely important.

All bloggers went through a rough beginning. No one starting something for the first time ever became successful in a week or so. It just doesn’t happen.

After all, you have yet to know what all the menus and settings on your blog do, let alone make others fall in love with your words. There hasn’t been enough time for others to even discover your blog.

When you feel like giving up, think about the fact that most people will be giving up at that milestone as well.

When things are tough, that’s when people quit.

And ask yourself: do you want to be like everyone else, or do you want to succeed?

Because success is not for everyone.