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am suppose to be updating Top Blogging coach with at least 2 posts per week and that is meant to be Mondays and Thursdays but unfortunately, I was unable to publish anyone last week because I was having some issues with my Internet Service Provider (ISP). Although I did not publish but I have posts in mind that I wanted to share with you. So the question I want to ask you now is….. DO YOU MISTAKE ACTIVITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT?
I know you may not be able to answer this question now because you might not even understand it in the first place until you finish reading this post, so I plead with you to relax and read to the end because you might be making this same mistake without knowing it. Let’s get started.
I remember watching a football match on TV last Sunday that’s 11th Nov between the ultimate Barcelona and Mallorca and I observed something great, this is not the first time I’ve noticed this particular thing though but it never occur to me to share it until now. The Mallorca team seems to be playing the Barcelona’s because they were all over them yet when you looked at the score, Barcelona’s kept pulling ahead strategically. The match finally ended up with 4-2 of which Lionel Messi scored 2 out of the 4. Did you watch the match too?
This particular issue always happens whenever Barca is playing with any club, their opponent always struggle while Barca keeps pulling ahead without mush stress, I don’t know if anyone has noticed this also or is it only me? I’m not a football fan but I like watching Barcelona because of their unique way of playing.
However, while watching that match, we were arguing on so many things and someone among us made an interesting comment that I will not forget in a hurry. He said “Don’t mistake activity for achievement.” I’ll always remember that. Just because Mallorca was playing hard didn’t mean grow your internet marketing business
This particular issue can equally apply to our everyday lives and more directly to our internet marketing/blogging careers. As we all work hard to make money online and make money at home you should always ask yourself this question, “Is what I’m doing right now going to help me move my business forward?”
I am also as guilty of this as anyone. I keep doing so many irrelevant things like checking my email over and over again clicking on the send/receive button looking for new messages that say something like “Congratulations You Have Made another Sale.”
It is so easy to constantly log into a program and check my stats over and over. What’s the point? If they do change it isn’t enough to even merit the time it takes to do it over and over. Now, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to check your email, but it can be wrong if you do it at the wrong time.
What about these ones…..Getting carried away with social networking sites, watching movies and Reading posts in forums until your eyes gets blurry. That’s o.k. if you are involved in the community and making some posts as well. You might as well get your link out there and posting is a great way to learn something as well. But you have to post once in awhile and make sure it’s bringing results too.
Now, let’s look at the key to getting yourself past the activity mode and log into the achievement mode.
Write down 5 specific things you want to accomplish everyday to help you grow your internet marketing business. Here is an example of this.
1. Make 5 new posts in forums
2. Comment on other blogs
3. Make at least 1 guest post
4. Place my ad in 5 free classified sites
5. Call 5 of my home business prospects
Now what is the key to these 5 things above? Well for starters they are written down. Next it is an advertising and marketing driven list.
If you aren’t spending some of your time on advertising and marketing your home business then you have no right to complain when you aren’t growing at all. It is that simple.
You have to write down action items for the day and the majority of those action items have to be doing something to advertise and market your business.
Every one of us has different amounts of time we can spend every day working to make money online. It isn’t how much time you spend, but how you spend it that will determine your long term success.
Another important thing is to know when you are wasting time unnecessary.
Now, let me ask you a question: If you saw time as money, would you be more careful with it? For example; if wasting 15minutes of your time a day meant you would lose $500, will you be more aware of how those 15min were spent and what would constitute wasting that 15min? I bet you will.
Therefore, assuming you have an entertainment blog, watching movies would not be wasting your time and if you’re in the hospitality niche, browsing new restaurants would not be wasting your time or money as well. The answer will be different for each of us. I think we all know when we are squandering time.
The assignment for you is to find out where and how you spend most of your time and access how much money you’ve invested in doing so. All the money in the world cannot replace a lost time, so proceed accordingly.
Now, Do you love Barcelona, Why or Why not? let me ask you this question once again……… DO YOU MISTAKE ACTIVITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT? I know you can answer me now, so let’s talk it over in the comment section. Your response to this question is much appreciated. And please I will like you to also share this post with your friends if it interests you.
Thanks.
Photo Credit: opensourceway
Adrienne says
Hey Theodore,
Sorry you had issues with posting last week. I hate that when that happens but glad to see you back up and running.
Now I could relate to this topic. I use to do “busy work”. Now don’t get me wrong, all of it was stuff that needed to be done but it wasn’t what was getting me further to my goal. I think a lot of people aren’t quite sure what it is that they should be doing so they do other activities instead.
I learned a few years back what activities I should be doing on a daily basis to get me to where I wanted to be. I wrote those down and checked them off after completing them each day. You are right, write them down and make sure you do those before anything else.
Thanks for this reminder Theodore. I’m sure there are a few people who are still doing this.
~Adrienne
Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks for stoping over Adrienne,
Yea, i found it really difficult to post last though my ISP and some other things, but thank God its resolved now.
Its good to write down your daily tasks instead of waisting time on unnecessary things. We do forget what we should be doing sometimes but if we can just write them down, it will become more easy for us. I’m happy you’re already doing this Adrienne.
Sincerely appreciate your contribution.
Akos Fintor says
Hey Theodore,
Totally. Barcelona all the way. The only club that can match them is the Madrid led by Ronaldo.
The strategy of Messi’s team is cutting edge. They make the other team work hard.
Anyway there is a saying that goes something like this: (not sure exactly how it goes but you’ll get the point)
” Success is not doing 14 thousand different things but doing 14 things thousands of times. ”
And if you think about it how each and every well optimized blog post will get you some traffic, your traffic eventually will add up to some serious amount of visits over time.
keep ’em coming!
Akos
Theodore Nwangene says
Hi Finto,
Barca is always the only club i enjoy watching, of cause, Madrid is also good.
And i agree with you on that quote. Monopoly is the name of the game because it will lead to success.
Thanks for commenting Finto and have a lovely week.
Ehsan Ullah says
Ohh sorry to heat it Theodore, I thought It’s only Afghanistan where the internet connection problem occurs lol.
Well, I agree with you on It’s not good to do something at wrong time. People are spending a lot of their time on things that adds no value to their business life. If they spend those time on the growth of their blog or business, It will be very beneficial for them.
Well, there’s a hard competition between Barcelona and Real Madrid from long, this also makes a conversation with my friend daily, but I love Barcelona.
Thanks for this post budd.
Theodore Nwangene says
Yea Ehsan,
I had some difficult time with my ISP but thank God its all over now.
Its always good to find out where and how we’re using our time that way, we will be more careful with it.
I also love Madrid Ehsan but Barca rocks man.
Thanks for your contribution, sincerely appreciated.
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Tim Bonner says
Hey Theodore
I’m a Man Utd fan so Barca aren’t one of my favourites I’m afraid!
I can relate to your post. I’ve struggled to have any activity online just recently. That’s not a bad thing either though. I’ve just had more things to do with the kids.
I recently opened a free online account with hiTask which helps me to check off the things I need to do each day and record the time I’ve spent doing them.
I’ve not achieving all my goals yet but at least I know where I need to get to.
Great post Theodore. Thank you for sharing.
Theodore Nwangene says
Welcome back Tim,
Have not seen you here for a while now, hope all is well or is it the lack of chance? I’m not a football fan either but its just that i love the style with which Barca plays.
I noticed just as you said that you’ve not been active on your blog these days, i understand what its all about as i also experiences such sometimes. Lets just keep trying friend.
Here is to your success.
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Theodore Nwangene says
Thanks Cooday,
I’m happy you like the post. I will check out my rss to see what you’re talking about.
Thanks for coming.
Chadrack says
Men, this is indeed a killer! I rarely do most of those things you listed but one thing I’ve not been doing lately is really marketing my blog. I always have a to do list for each day but I have been much busy to really accomplish most them.
Btw. I don’t usually watch those football games except when I have the time which is very rare. Would have love to watch that game!