10 minutes ago I walked down to the subway in NYC.
On looking at the MTA card machine I was alerted – by a dude scamming folks in the subway – that the machine only accepted cash.
Hmmm…..I typically pay with my credit card. Quick swipe. I had no cash on hand at the time.
A few seconds later I found out the machine on the opposite wall sold MTA cards for longer term deals; not a single ride.
Kelli and I do the single ride bit as we don’t journey on the subway that much. Walking folks.
I feel a little agitated. But keep my cool. No complaints. All fine.
I walk up stairs. Search for an ATM. I find one after a few shops.
Swipe the debit card. Withdraw cash.
I walk back to the subway. Go underground.
I pay the lady for 2 trips.
Card procured, I side-stepped the scheister. Slid the card. Kelli and I walked through to the train, which arrived a few seconds later.
We get to the Port Authority. I buy our tickets. We literally walk onto the bus a few seconds before it takes off.
Imagine if I stopped to complain in the subway? About the pan handler trying to bum tickets off of me? Or about the fact that a machine only takes cash in the subways of NYC, and will not take a credit card?
Imagine if I spent time complaining about having to wander NYC for an ATM? Imagine if I complained about the bank fee on the ATM withdrawal?
You know what’s happening; I miss the subway, I miss this bus and I delay my return home by a good 30 minutes. Minimum.
Even worse?
I lower my vibe. By choosing to complain about circumstances I would feel crappy. Crappy feeling folks do not write helpful blog posts. Crappy feeling folks likely do not write at all.
Even though I felt slightly annoyed by the panhandler and cash only situation at the machine I remained calm, cool and collected. I maintained my wits about me. I saw a solution versus problems, or versus complaining about circumstances.
The Blogging Application
As with the 45 million life stories I relate to the online world, I saw a blogging lesson in my experience. My wife nods and laughs as I write these words; she gets to see my blogging act daily, drawing paraleals between our travels and successful blogging.
You absolutely, positively, need to keep your cool when resistance arises online. The White Screen of Death. Google or Facebook algorithm updates that seem to level your blog. A growing legion of spammers or critics besieging your blog. One or two or three income streams drying up quickly.
All of these circumstances cripple the average blogger. Which is exactly why the average blogger is…..average.
But the blogger who remains calm, cool and collected during resistance sees the resistance dissolve.
5 minutes spanned between seeing the no cash sign at the machine and me getting on the subway. I wasted zero time complaining about the situation. I saw a solution. I did not worry, or fret, or flip out, or complain to the MTA worker behind the desk about the circumstance.
I saw a solution. I pursued the solution. I hopped the subway then the bus back to NJ seamlessly. No issues. No problems. One opportunity to seize and use. A little resistance dissolving into the end game.
Resistance will arise during your blogging career. Will you be like most bloggers and complain about resistance, like a big blogging baby? Or will you see solutions amid the resistance?
The solution finders become top bloggers. The solution finders are top bloggers.
Observe how these pros do a fine job wading through resistance like it isn’t even there, gracefully coasting to win after win.
Practical Tips
Some bloggers behave in a calm, cool way, naturally.
The rest need to follow daily rituals, to cultivate the habit of being a cool blogger.
I suggest:
- Meditating
- Doing yoga
- Breathing deeply a few times daily
- Spending time thinking through why you do what you are doing with your blog
I particularly enjoy doing 40 minutes of yoga and meditating for 20 minutes on waking.
Each practice helped me go from complaining hot head or blogging worry wort to being calm, cool and collected in virtually every blogging circumstance.
Your Turn
Are you a cool blogger?
What tips can you add for becoming a cool, calm, confident blogger?