Guest Post by: Jennifer (PotPieGirl)
Last week or so, Kyle had a great post on our very own wealthy affiliate Blog. The post was titled – What Motivates YOU to Achieve Success? I really enjoyed it and I think you might, too. You can read that post here.
However, Kyle linked out to something that was an extremely interesting read for me. About half way down in the comments section, Kyle replied to a comment with this statement:
I agree with everything you have said. However, I do believe that any weakness can become a strength through focus. Many people have weaknesses but fail to ever work on them because it is “hard”. It is much more comforting and “easy” to do what you are already good at or what you are naturally gifted to do. Most of us that are successful are that way because many of our OLD weaknesses are now our strong points.
As for survival (in business & in the sense of life) , there are different ways in which we react to difficult situations. I know of an excellent article that distinguishes the difference between “choking” and “panicking”, written by a famous Canadian author, Malcolm Gladwell. You may find this interesting.
http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_08_21_a_choking.htm
Cheers,
Kyle
Not only was his reply comment insightful in my opinion, the article he linked out to by Malcolm Gladwell was fascinating to me.
The article is a bit older and bit long, but it was a deep journey into the difference between “choking” and “panicking”.
In short, “panicking” is when we shut down and suffer from a loss of rational thought. Think of being at a loss for air and how your mind will go blank and just reach out for whatever – or WHO ever – has air available to you. Or when someone is drowning and you try to rescue them….and they fight you…grasp on to you…all to the point that you might have to right-hook them to knock them out so you CAN save their life. That is panic.
On the other hand, “choking”, according to the author, is the state in which we think too much. We over-analyze our every move….over think things until we lose our fluidity. It causes us to stutter and stall in our actions. Think like the golfer who suddenly chokes over a 3-foot putt after remembering he missed 6 of those putts already that day.
Suddenly he is very aware of his motions and technique. Even tho he had MADE 3-foot putts a thousand times before, he now suddenly doubts himself (or herself, says the girl golfer…lol).
So…now I know you’re wondering….
Good Golly, Jennifer, What in the WORLD Does This Have To Do With Marketing or Writing Articles?
As I was reading that article, it hit me how much those two terms – those two natural responses – apply to our marketing techniques.
Many of us will be in a panic state when we first come online.
MUST. MAKE. MONEY.
That is the only thought…and the process begins of tossing affiliate links and big “CLICK HERE” text all over our web pages. If you’re struggling for “air” in life, I can see how this would be a totally normal, absence of complete thought response.
However, I think CHOKING really applies to article marketing – especially when you’re new.
Think about it…. you gather your keywords then you open that text file to start writing…and what do you see?
That BIG BLANK WHITE PAGE…. that is EMPTY just waiting for your genius to fill it up.
Yikes!
That’s not panic setting in, it is you choking.
I don’t mean that as an insult – heck, we ALL do it at one time or another. What I want to do is give you a tip to get PAST that “choking” stage and move forward to where a big, blank, white page inspires you – instead of intimidating you and making you doubt yourself, your words, and your sanity.
I see so many folks in our forum write the most eloquent forum posts expressing their inability to write articles that are “good enough”. I used to read those posts and think, “What in the world could be the problem? They write beautifully!”
Now I know what the problem is… and how to help you past it.
Isn’t it easier when you are writing TO someone?
It sure is for me!
For any of you that have read anything I have written, you may notice that I have a very “conversational” style of writing. I prefer, and am most comfortable with, writing TO people just as if I was talking to them.
My high school English teacher may have hated it years ago, but it works for me now…. AND it got me past MY case of “choking” when trying to write articles.
Next time you are faced with that choke-inducing Big, Blank, White Page, just turn your keyword into a question and pretend you are writing an email to a friend answering that question.
Heck, pretend you are writing to me….or Kyle….or Carson – it doesn’t matter now. Over time, you will learn how to envision the ideal person that would want help from your articles and you’ll be able to pretend you are emailing them giving them personal help.
That’s what article writing really is – providing personal help to others who are looking for that help.
Just let your words flow. Don’t get hung up on keyword density or article length – just write and let YOU shine through.
As Kyle said in his quoted comment above – “Most of us that are successful are that way because many of our OLD weaknesses are now our strong points.”
Choking when writing articles is a temporary weakness that is easily overcome with a mindset change in YOU. Before long, that old weakness will be one of your strong points that will push you closer and closer to success.
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
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