Choking on the Internet Marketing Wishbone
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
I think your the best and want to thank you for all your insight and inspiration, I like reading your posts, and just as you mentioned, your writing style is so conversational I feel like your talking directly to me, and you have a great sense of humor too!
Very insightful post,and (in my opinion) deadon! Thank you for the words of wisdom Pot Pie Girl!
I have spent many, many months, since I was laid off in April 2009, scouring sites, reading blogs about making money online. In all that time, I found only a handful of people I felt I could trust, and who really helped me, explaining things on a step-by-step basis. There are lots of “gurus” out there. You are one of the handful of people I trust, and I wish you continued success.
Superb post Jennifer,
Being a fellow WA member you truly are an inspiration.
Hey PPGirl,
You are right on in this article. When I open notepad all I see is a big white sea without ships or anything. For a long time I would stare at the sea and freeze. It didn’t matter what I had in mind to write I couldn’t get the first letter (ship) on the sea. Even now I have to start every article just like a letter. As you will notice how I started this post. I have to address somebody before I can get the sea filled with ships. I recommend this to everyone that thinks he or she can’t write. Once you have addressed someone you can type away, matter of fact, if you’re like me you don’t know when to stop. By-By
Jennifer, I really like your style, I am studying all your material and hope to get started for real soon.
Re Delton’s comment, unfortunately, when I start writing a letter to someone, I write Dear Somebody, and that’s how far I get, then I keep staring at the blank page with my blank mind. I have to use a different approach, and I guess it will be like when you’re writing a book, you would collect ideas and bits of wisdom, throw them all in a big box and when the box is full, you start putting them in order.
I don’t know whether that will work, but I have to try it as everything else results in ‘writer’s block’. I find this part very daunting but know I will overcome it as I am determined to succeed in this!
Thanks for all you do.
Jennifer, I started this IM two years ago and became entirely snowed. I have condensed it down to about three people I trust. You are one. I am starting over and was so glad to find DAM. I am following another great lady right now, but when I have the time I will get back to you. Thanks for you teaching. E
Thanks Jennifer!!! I really like that post
You cannot believe how long I’ve been looking for something like this. Scrolled through 5 pages of Yahoo results couldn’t find diddly squat. Quick search on bing. There was this…. Really have to start using it more often!
Hi Jennifer,
Im a member of WA since 31 may 2010, and i can tell that i have feeling overhelmed with the info i got in there, but day after day, I learn a lil here a lil there, ideas come to pop out (sometime too many and thats whats scaring me cause i think im losing focus….anyway) and its wonderful to see so many good stuff that you bring out. I always end up seeing stuff you write in the WA forums, in ur tutorials, checked lens of you and some many other info you put out there. The article making scares me, but then again like u mention in the DAM if i write emails…HELL, if im writing so many words here how hard can be to write about something that i want to promote? In other forums that im member, not related with IM, I write alot and many members even like me alot for the content and info or experiences i put there. Sometimes I end having a full forum page just with writing!!!!
Hell all this here now I could write an article lol….see? I have that problem. I dont know what to write but when I start someone please STOP ME!
Best regards,
a very dedicated WA fan,
Kar.
thank u for this insightful post.
i especially enjoyed the article by gladwell. i read it all the way to the end, and it warmed my heart. what an excellent piece.
i agree tt opening up a new blank document to start article writing sometimes feels puzzlingly overwhelming. but, i found tt by putting it in the context of typing an email to a friend or someone who’s asked for advice, suddenly the words flow.
thank u very much again for this tip.
much appreciated PotPieGirl.
I truly appreciate the whole lot of encouragement and motivation that you guys shared!
However, everytime I attempted to sign up and see the terms that I will be re- billed every month without any assurance that I will earn or not, makes me a changeable mind. But I was almost decided to join and always just posing to join. I hope to really be able to jump into it finally in the near future and prove to myself the real matter of WA in terms of making a living for my family.
@ Lorreigne
The one thing we do not guarantee is something that we cannot control…which is your “action”. We know our techniques, tools, and support we provide within WA can lead to success, however, you cannot build a successful business online with your own personal actions and hard work. If you are willing to do this and work through small failures (yes, we all have failures on our way to success), I can guarantee you will achieve success. I can also guarantee that we offer everything we say we do within WA. We are real and we care about our members.
I always say “I have never seen someone fail that doesn’t quit”…and it holds true to this day.
Cheers,
Kyle
Wow, what a great writing tip. I’m new to the online business/blogging/article writing but the advice everyone throws out there is to write numerous articles as if they just write themselves. The idea of answering a question with the articles will help me to focus. I think about my personal life in which I’m the “girlfriend” who always has all the answers; now I will apply that to my articles.
Thank you for that.
hello Jennifer
your articles is really awesome o.o , is easy to undersand , easy to remember too.
normally reading articles is really bored for me.
but your’s is like a real fish is flowing in the water tank which is so living *-*
great work.
Sure it’s hard to make up your mind.
Just look what your dealing with.,
Your being pulled in different directions, who do you believe?
I’ll tell you the truth, I’ve heard nothing but good things WA.
Still it’s hard to make decision. (lest for me it is)
I want to do this, I need to do this, but why can’t I commit?
If you know the answer Jennifer, please tell me.
A well written article. I do find your style very easy to read and the idea of writting to One person is excellent. Ill certainly adopt that with immediate effect I think its a Nuggett idea.
Malccolm Gladwells writing whilts different is also excellentid i highly recommend all his books to anybody interested in internet marketing in al forms. Many of his bookd are corner stones of this work such as The tipping Point and Outliers.
regards
Nice article, I especially like the point about making your weaknesses your strength!
The choking have been there, but once you get started and just let the inspiration flow you come up with all these new ideas for articles and sometimes projects.
It is really great how that works.
Greetings Piet Hein
The Netherlands