Showing posts with label Focus. Show all posts

Today I was looking at my Google Analytics page to see what kind of traffic this blog was getting.  As I looked over the numbers I got a little discouraged.  The past three days have been way down!  So I started reading through some material on how to increase blog traffic in hopes of helping a little.

That’s when it occurred to me… I am not writing this blog just so lots of people will read it.  I am writing this blog so that I can help those that do read it.  Now it would be great if 100,000 people read my blog (well it would be great if 100 people read this blog) but that is not why I am writing.

I have found that as I read through much of the material published on attracting blog traffic that it really doesn’t line up with why I want readers.  It seems that the end game for many people seeking the same information is too know how to turn a quick profit.  Not the case for me.  But the one great tid-bit of info that I believe I discovered was the advice to “Start Solving Problems.”

Not so much that I am going to solve anything for you today, but encourage you to start doing that for someone else.  Also, to lead your church in doing that for your community.  Why sit around and get discouraged about not having any friends or low attendance showing up on Sunday mornings when there are ways to change all of that?  Just remember that it is not about the number of friends or visitors that can be obtained.  Good deeds always attract people.

I needed this advice today to help me realize where my priorities are.  I am writing a blog to help others see things a little differently and hopefully have a God-centered view of life.  That type of influence must be earned.  I am not telling someone how to play games, fix their pc, or repair a bike.  I am asking people to view themselves and the world around them through God’s eyes.  That is more relational than informational.

 

What is some good advice that you have gotten lately?  Or a nugget of truth that changed how you think?

Dr. Howard Hendricks said, “The secret of concentration is elimination.”
This season of my life is becoming a reflective season for me.  I am asking questions about what is important to me and evaluating whether or not I am being effective to do the things that I want to accomplish. 
I have noticed that life has a tendency to shift towards chaos and complexity.  We just continue to add things to life without ever evaluating why we do them; why we give attention to certain relationships; why we talk more than we act; etc… I am aware that there are certain things that are important to me and now I have to make decisions about what needs to be given up so that I can focus my time and energy on those things.
These are never easy decisions to make because I will have to give up some things that I enjoy doing to focus on what I think is most important.  Also, I know there will be resistance from others as they will want me to fit their mold.  But… God has given me stewardship over this life to live and one day I will be accountable.
What about you?  Are there things that you can or should give up to make your life more productive?
You could make a list of the key areas of your life and then list what is important for you to accomplish in each of those areas.  Then every three months you could take some time to evaluate if you are living the life you want to live.

One thing I have noticed about myself is that I have a difficult time with long term follow through.  I cannot count the number of things in my life I have started and not finished.  As you might imagine this has left me feeling disappointed at times and wrestling with the guilt of my failure to complete or stick with things over the long haul.
I have reflected on many things over the past couple of weeks that I wish I had followed through with but didn’t. I know that if I had completed these things I would have more choices for the future.  That’s why writing this blog is so important to me.  It forces me to address an area of weakness in my character while focusing on an area of strength in the way God designed me. 
Committing to write a blog helps me build daily discipline that will hopefully lead to long term follow through and also forces me to communicate regularly whether anyone reads it or not.  While at the same time I get to write and share what limited knowledge I might possess for those who might choose to read.
Take some time to make some observations about yourself.  Are there some character qualities that you could stand to improve?  Is there an area of strength that you need to focus on?

I have been reading a lot of literature on how to succeed with writing a blog and one of the items for consideration is the audience that you want to reach.  I had only put limited thought into this until now.  So I want to define in writing who I am trying to reach with this blog and why.
     1.  Individuals that want something more out of life.
Far too often we wake up and assume that each day is just a normal day and we do not give significant attention to the choices that are ahead of us.  I want to help individuals think about and live life on a deeper level.
     2.  Christians that are tired of the status quo.
It seems that many of the churches in our Western culture are operating under a powerless existence.  I believe that one reason for this is that we have lost our moral authority in society.  We are not living lives that are possessed by the spirit of God and there is a disconnect between what we say and what we do.  I want to encourage and challenge people to live by God’s standard.
3.  Anyone who wants to change the world around them.
We all have the opportunity to change lives each day but we are often reacting to what is going on around us and not being proactive with our relationships.  I want to connect with people that are looking to change the world one person at a time through small acts of kindness.
These are my initial thoughts on the audience I hope to reach with this blog.  In time it may become necessary to refine my thought process as all three of these ideas together may be too broad to allow real focus.  I do believe that these ideas are cords of a string that can and should be woven together into the fabric of our lives.  I guess we will have to see how my little mind is able to process and communicate my heart for such things.

I came across a blog post titled Wherever You Are, Be There 100% on therebelution.com website. This site was set up by Alex and Brett Harris to encourage teenagers to live a life of meaning and purpose. 
I think this article is applicable to all of us.  Let me know what you think.
Read the article here:  Wherever You Are, Be There 100%
What if you gave 100% to your job, your marriage, your school work, or to whatever task or situation you are surrounded with right now?  Is there anything you have been avoiding or just giving a half-hearted effort towards?

In our society today it seems that everyone is looking for a get rich quick scheme.  As I have been investigating best practices for blogging I ran across this headline “Free Video Reveals: The #1 Secret That Helped Us Make Up To $94,042 Per Month As Niche Marketers On Total Autopilot.” At first glance this juicy title gets the adrenaline pumping.  After all, don’t you want to make tons of cash with very little work?  So do I!
When you stop to think about it you know that life doesn’t work that way.  Whether you own your own business, work for someone else, manage a blog, or bag groceries, work is work.  It takes time and energy.  No matter what endeavor you pursue in building financial security you will be required to invest yourself into the process.  It will not happen without effort.
My advice is to give up on those schemes that promise something for nothing.  It is probably true that these individuals are making tons of money, but not because they have found the magic formula for success, but more accurately they are selling us on a false hope of great riches with little to know work.  And… There unknown secret is available to you for a “small” fee.
Once you have decided to give up on these foolish magic makers then you can explore strengthening your financial platform. Here are a couple of ideas for you to explore as you consider different options for the future.
1.  Figure out what you are good at and what you enjoy, then begin a part time business on the side.  Start slow and learn all that you can.  Eventually it just might turn into a lucrative business.
2.  Explore new ways to use what you already do to earn extra cash flow.  Maybe there is a part of what you do that can be marketed in a different way.  Perhaps you could blog about your experience and teach people about what you do.
3.  Start making better choices with the money you have right now.  Dave Ramsey has a great program to help you in this area.

How are you creatively earning extra income?  Please leave a comment I would be interested to know.