Build Patience for Blogging. It’s an essential virtue for so many areas in life, but one that can be especially challenging to practice consistently as a blogger. When you pour your heart into creating content but don’t immediately see rewards and recognition, it’s easy to get discouraged.
As a blogger for over 7 years now, I’ve learned firsthand that persistence and patience are absolutely vital keys to long-term blogging success. Building an audience and thriving online business takes time and consistency. If you’re hoping to make blogging a sustainable career, cultivating patience needs to be priority number one.
Here are my top 7 tried and true ways I’ve learned to build patience for blogging year after year:
7 Key Tips to Build Patience for Blogging
1. Start with the end in mind
When I first started blogging, I spent a lot of time obsessing over daily pageview stats rather than focusing on long-term goals. Once I shifted my mindset to concentrate on bigger-picture objectives – like reaching 10,000 email subscribers or getting my content consistently ranking #1 on Google – it was much easier to be patient day-to-day. Having clarity around the end goal makes the present journey more purposeful.
2. Celebrate small wins
My ambitious personality can make it tricky not to constantly set lofty blogging goals that take ages to accomplish. I’ve learned to be more kind and realistic with myself by setting and celebrating smaller milestones along the way. Even 50 more email subscribers in a month or getting 1 new backlink feels like a “win” worth relishing when trying to cultivate patience as a blogger!
3. Find an accountability partner
When my stamina for pushing through tough blogging seasons starts to wane, having friends who are also creators helps reignite my persistence and passion. My blogger friend Stacy and I meet monthly to celebrate progress and keep each other focused during times we’d rather just binge Netflix! Having someone along for the ride makes it infinitely more enjoyable.
4. Remember why you started
When you’ve slogged through creating blog content for months on end without much feedback or traffic to show for it, remembering your “why” gets crucial. I constantly revisit my original motivations and aspirations that first sparked my blogging journey – things like leaving a legacy, creative expression, and location independence – to renew my patience reserves when they run low.
5. Learn to take blogging breaks
I used to berate myself for ever taking time off blogging – even legitimate sick days! I’d also work myself to total burnout, trying to maintain an unsustainable pace. But for the past two years, I’ve given myself permission to step away from my computer for a set time without guilt or anxiety. Deliberately resting recharges motivation and enhances blogging patience.
6. Switch up content formats
When you feel like pulling your hair out trying to come up with new blog post ideas, changing up formats can boost inspiration and blogging patience while preventing creative burnout. This past month, for example, I explored my first YouTube videos, podcast interviews, and even email newsletters as alternatives to just churning out more blog articles. Variety is the spice of blogger life!
7. Practice gratitude
During seasons when it seems like blogging efforts are going nowhere fast, I make a daily practice of writing down things I’m grateful for about my blogging journey so far. When I intentionally reflect on progress made, relationships built, lessons learned, and goals achieved through blogging over the years, it fills me with an incredible sense of gratitude. This motivates me to keep persevering with patience and passion.
Blogging excellence doesn’t happen overnight. While rapid success stories certainly happen, more often, building a thriving online brand and business takes years of dedication and patience. If blogging starts to feel like drudgery, use the tips above to spark inspiration while also setting realistic expectations.
Consistency and perseverance are the key ingredients for fruitful blogging but build patience for blogging every step of the way makes the process more rewarding.
Keep chasing your blogging dreams…and remember to enjoy the journey!
