As my dad has always told me, “Just pick one and look at the rest.”

At first glance, this might appear to be merely the advice of an exasperated dad, but the more frequently I’ve followed this advice, the more value I find in it.

Sometimes the only thing required to get unstuck is action, any action. Not everything about our world is linear. Not everything can be traced back to a logical cause and effect. Sometimes, all we need to find our answer is to step – in any direction – off of dead center. Movement is the antidote to being stuck. Action is the answer, more often than not.

Where I believe we get hung up is in our requirement to ‘get it right the first time’. When you think about it, doesn’t that seem an inordinately ridiculous goal? Doesn’t it just suck the wind right out of your sails to think about having to do something ‘right’ in order to do it at all? Is it any wonder, then, that we can feel so stuck?

Will the world stop spinning if you make a mistake? Will the sky come crashing down if you don’t do it ‘right’ the first time? Better yet – what if the action you take, the one that doesn’t really ever pan out, is the action that was required to get you to the next decision – the one that REALLY makes a difference in your life? Doesn’t it make sense then, when all of the available choices appear to be equally insufficient, to pick one and look at the rest to get unstuck?

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photo credit: Evil Erin

If you pay attention even the teeniest bit online, I suspect you no longer need to be made aware of the benefits of blogging. If you’re not blogging, I bet the reason is that the whole idea, from choosing the right platform to figuring out what to blog about and everything in between, is just overwhelming. Multiply that by 100 if you don’t consider yourself a ‘technical’ type of person.

The good news is, you really, truly do not have to be a ‘technical’ person to be a blogger. Once your blog is set up, blogging is more about communicating than technology. True enough, there are many decisions to be made in the process of setting up a blog, and this is where having the guidance of a ‘technical’ person becomes a real asset. But once you’re set up, blogging can be as simple as emailing – it’s just that your reach is far greater and you don’t have to fool with SPAM issues.

A blog gives people a taste of who you are and build trust and familiarity among your site visitors. You’ll have a much easier time moving them from visitor to client because they have an opportunity to get to know, like and trust you!

Whether you’re avoiding starting a blog, or you have one but it’s just sitting there, what’s keeping you from blogging?

• “I don’t write well.”
• “There’s already too much competition.”
• “I already do article marketing.”
• “I don’t have the time.” or “It takes too long to get results.”

You may not consider yourself a writer, and that’s ok. You don’t have to love writing to make blogging work for you. One way is to write like you’re telling someone about your topic. Be relaxed and conversational. (This usually makes for better blog posts, anyway.) The more you do it, the better you get at it. And don’t forget, spell-check has your back. Another way is to create a podcast (that’s an audio blog) and speak your way there!

You have no competition: There is no other you out there. Use your blog to let what’s unique about you and what you have to offer become known to the world.

If you’re already writing articles, then you really should be blogging! All those articles would serve you better as blog posts. Drive traffic to your own site, not an article directory site!

As for the issue of time – it’s time for a reality check. Like anything else worth doing, blogging is an investment that builds over time. Fortunately for you, it doesn’t have to take a long time. Done well, blogging delivers some of the best bang for your marketing/PR/platform building buck. Bottom line, if you’re willing to invest the effort to create a blog that’s worth the time it takes to read, your readers will make it worth your time to blog. It’s reciprocal like that.

So, tell me – what are some of your challenges where blogging is concerned?

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I spent part of my Christmas afternoon out at my ex-mother-in-law’s place learning how to shoot. My oldest son’s father was my instructor. First time I’d ever held a gun in my hands and not only did I not hurt myself or anyone else, I hit the target….multiple times!

Before the afternoon was over, I’d shot a .22 handgun, a 9mm automatic and a 30/30 rifle. I did the best with the .22, not surprisingly. It was much smaller and easier to handle than the other two, though still new to me.

I had many realizations as I fired off each shot:

Fear can be overcome with information, preparation and support. I won’t say I’ve been afraid of guns all these years…maybe it was more that I was afraid of that kind of power. Ironic, given that I think that’s what’s been my lesson in 2008: overcoming my fear of my own power.

Support comes from unexpected corners. Allow it. Never in a million years would I have believed that one day my first husband would be teaching me how to shoot. (There was a time that would not have been the smartest of moves on his part.) But that’s exactly who did and there’s a part of me that is both surprised and humbled by the idea that he genuinely wanted to share a skill he has to help me feel safer, more assured and protected. Twenty years later, that man still has my back. Who’d a-thunk it?

Nothing happens until you pull the trigger. I have many goals for the coming year, but the most important one is to consistently practice taking aim and firing at my target(s). In other words…taking action.

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