1 Pro Blogger Quality Lost on Most Bloggers

This is a guest post by Ryan Biddulph. He shares smart blogging tips at Blogging From Paradise.

Freedom has been my prime intent for much of my 10 year blogging career.

I lost my way at times.

But I eventually observed the error of my ways and changed course.

I had to adopt the quality of having blogging posture to live a life of freedom through blogging by making freeing but sometimes highly uncomfortable decisions.

Examples include:

saying “no” to opportunities eating into my freedom, including time and energy intensive coaching and freelance work
keeping all interactions online genuine, warm but brief
opening solely passive income streams
building my day around personal development first then blogging second
completely ignoring anyone online non-resonant with my values and core intent

I felt quite scared to make these decisions initially because I feared:

being criticized for being rude, short, curt or not responding to all messages, chats or comments
letting go active income streams
building my business solely on passive income streams
not putting in enough blogging work since I devoted 3-4 hours to personal development daily

but my love of freedom became stronger than these fears.

Pier Guard Job

I became disgusted working 6 days weeks and more than enough 16 to 18 hour days as a pier guard some 15 years ago. Trading time for money equated to trading my life just to cover the bills and to save a few extra bucks. I feel grateful because this employee experience gave me contrast leading into my professional blogging career. Gaining clarity influenced me to schedule a decent chunk of my entrepreneurial day:

enjoying travel activities with my wife Kelli
meditating
doing Kriya yoga
doing yin yoga
sleeping and napping

Re-read the prior bullet points. Even established, pro bloggers sometimes email me inquiring into how I engineered a life of fun, freedom and travel as a pro blogger who circles the globe. Some pros attach themselves to unfailing internet connections, home offices and environments of order, precision and comfort. Meanwhile, many of these folks envy my digital nomad life of circling the globe, internet connections of varying quality, different home offices and regular schedule, routine and time zone changes. I am largely free. Many pros – and a majority of amateurs – are bound.

How do I do it?

I developed posture to live a life of freedom. I never intended to be held captive by an internet connection, client base, home office, blogging routine or NYC Eastern time zone because I observed how such attachments bind, confine and flat out hold most bloggers captive. I put in my time online then get the heck offline to enjoy circling the globe, napping, working on my mindset and spending time with my wife.

Freedom Appears Different to All Bloggers

Some bloggers feel absolutely free rendering service to clients through freelancing or coaching. Follow that path if it feels freeing, fun and fulfilling to you.

But beware when your heart tells you:

“I need to start releasing clients to enjoy a few more hours offline daily. I also need to downsize my client base to enjoy a 1 week vacation without worrying about the 15 hour days I need to put in to keep up with my freelancing or coaching demand the following week.”

At this point, opening more passive income channels or simply tightening your belt by cutting costs are two clear options. I prefer opening passive income channels like:

writing and self-publishing eBooks
converting the eBooks to audio books and paperbacks
creating online courses
engaging in affiliate marketing

to expand my freedom by not trading time for money.

I still work-blog quite a bit daily but always on my terms. Minus the rare interview I accept I simply never use my alarm, nor do I always remember the day of the week. Time is less of an object to me every day because I chose to do everything blogging-wise to promote my freedom.

Do you need to make the same blanket decision?