Kill.
Or be killed.
When I lived in Jimbaran, Bali for 6 months at a football field sized villa I learned some harsh lessons.
We lived in snake country.
A spitting cobra slithered into the chicken coop one night, killing 2 chicks and the mother hen right before my very eyes.
On 2 occasions, large pythons broke into our neighbor’s chicken coop, slaying a handful of chooks.
Foxy Roxy, the kind but chicken-killing Balinese Rottweiler we cared for, hunted down and ended the lives of at least 3 chickens.
Kill or be killed.
The law of the jungle.
Animals instinctively react to situations in a competitive fashion.
We humans are blessed. We have a consciousness, and the power of choice, meaning we can think on a co-creative, loving, harmonious plane, on a much higher wavelength than the competitive line of thinking which strickens most bloggers.
Being at Affiliate Summit East and watching John Chow, Syed Balki, John Rampton and Zac Johnson speak on stage taught me the value of thinking co-creatively, versus thinking competitively.
Years ago I would have seen that mass of successful blogging flesh on stage and would have instantly pitted me against them, competitively. How would their traffic become my traffic? Why in the heck would readers choose me over them? How would I compete with them?
Kill or be killed.
The old, dingbat, failing me clung to this ludicrous line of thinking.
Until I decided to co-create. Versus competing.
I saw how the bloggers on the stage co-created with one another.
I observed how I guest posted on Zac’s Blogging Tips.
I post comments on John Chow’s blog, adding content to his posts.
Co-creating. Not competing.
The Comparison Curse
All lower energy, fear-based competitive lines of thinking root themselves in comparison. I call this the Comparison Curse.
The Old Me – sorry to bring that dingbat back into the fold – would compare myself to the world’s top bloggers. I would never grow an email list bigger than Zac Johnson. I’d never make more money than John Chow. I would never write like Jon Morrow.
I downed myself. I felt, why even bother? I’d never be like them.
But by embracing, hugging and releasing some wicked fears I clung to I eventually let go the Comparison Curse, largely.
I could just write like Ryan Biddulph writes. I could be authentic. I could be genuine. I could be me.
I could create videos of me, being me, helping you through your blog.
That was not only good enough, I soon found out. But this is exactly what my readers wanted. These guys wanted me to be me. Something different. Something inspired. Even better? When I was just being ME I found that top bloggers wanted to co-create with me.
I was offered permanent guest posting gigs on:
- Blogging Tips (this rocking blog)
- The Huffington Post
My co-creating, generous, non-competitive spirit also helped me get featured on:
- Virgin
- Forbes
- Entrepreneur
- Fox News
- Pro Blogger
- Smart Blogger
- John Chow Dot Com
- Neil Patel Dot Com
Co-creating beats competing. At least in my eBook.
The challenge: blogging from a predominant energy of love and fun, versus doing so from an energy of fear, tension and competition.
I feel you are up to it.
I know you are up to it.
Video
When you decide to co-create versus competing you will need to learn how to grow your blogging network.
This concept was alien to me nearly a decade ago. I figured you just published a post and placed your link all over the place.
Boy was I wrong.
I soon learned that following these 11 tips brought me blogging success because I was able to co-create easily as my blogging friend network expanded. Watch the video to grow your blogging network quickly.