I am always trying to improve. Generally, the more you learn and practice a skill, the better you get. That only helps you to a point. To get beyond that initial flood of improvement, you must practice in certain ways. World class tennis players don’t just play a lot of tennis, they work on their skills individually and in a focused manner. They may start out by hitting a bunch of forehand shots, then backhand, then serving. Rarely do professional athletes just go out and play their sport and hope to improve. They have coaches, they study, and they practice very specific skills. How does that apply to our lives?
Most of us are not professional athletes but the way they practice and improve can be applied to the skills in our lives. Do you have something in your life you’d like to do better? I sure do. I can’t focus on all of them at the same time, so at this time, I have decided to improve my writing and specifically, my blog. I now have what I want to improve, so how do I actually improve?
The better blog process
When I want to learn a new skill or get better at one I already do, I look for information. That information is typically in the form of books but can also be blogs, podcasts, audiobooks, and videos. If the skill is common, such as photography, I can go to just about any library and have a large selection to choose from. If the skill is a little more unique, such as woodturning, your best bet will be videos, clubs, and in-person coaching. It just so happens that blogging is becoming more popular and a variety of information sources to choose from can easily be found. I decided to go with an e-book from Darren Rowse (ProBlogger.net), 31 Days to Build A Better Blog.
As the title suggests, the book is divided into 31 days worth of skill building tasks. When the e-book was updated to the second edition an additional two weeks worth of tasks and content were added. The structure of the books is setup to improve your skills much like a professional athlete would improve their skills; by focusing on one task at a time and practicing. I hope at the end of the material, my blogging skills would be much better than they are today and with consistent focus everyday, I believe it will happen. For the reasoning behind the tasks, please read the book. I am only a few days into it, but I have learned a lot so far. So, without further ado, the process begins.
Day 1: Blog elevator pitch
BlueCapra.com
Blue Capra is a personal blog designed to express the author’s personality and provide quality, useful information to small business owners and others looking for self-improvement.
BookWormLaser.com
Book Worm Laser & Design is a company dedicated to adding creativity to the everyday items of life. We do this by utilizing digital design tools and laser engraving technology to create unique products, to find innovative solutions, and to enhance objects. We offer a blog that informs and entertains readers about laser engraving, business, and the company.
Day 2: List post
My list post at BookWormLaser.com: Engrave This: 7 laser engraved items to get you thinking
Day 3: Promote a blog post
I share my posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. I have also written an article on Laser engraving glass that appears on Ezinearticles.com. I use a plugin that displays related posts (Yet Another Related Posts Plugin). I have my elevator pitch (Day 1) in my email signature. I also try to comment on other blogs as much as I can, usually a few times a week.
Day 3 is now finished. Day 4 will have me doing some research on other blogs so I can learn from others. Check out my page, My Journey to 31 Days to Build a Better Blog, for more updates. Have a great week.
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