When I started blogging in September 2009, I knew it was a long-term project. I didn’t think I would make a huge amount of money, nor did I realize how much work it would be to maintain a blog and post 5-6 times a week for many months. So far, I’ve learned a lot of lessons from blogging, and this one shares a strong connection with personal finance, so I’d like to share it with you all.
Nothing Comes Easy and It Takes Time
When I started, I didn’t think at all about making money. I don’t have ads on the site, I don’t do sponsored posts, and I don’t get free stuff in return for positive reviews. Recently I found a few easy ways to make a small amount of money without loading the site with ads. If you tell most people that they have to work for 6 months for free and after that they’ll start getting paid a few cents per hour, they won’t dream about taking the job.
If any moneymaking idea was easy and took little effort or time, there would be a lot of very wealthy college students. But anything rewarding requires a lot of serious effort, and more people are turned off by that. If you’re able to set a goal and keep working until you reach it, the results will come. The results always come if you work hard enough.
Sometimes it takes a long time to be promoted, to make money off of a business venture, or to learn new skills. Still, the time and effort is worth it, whether you’re rewarded in skills that help get a new job in a field you’re really interested, a promotion to a position you deserve, or your first positive cash flow month for your business.
It takes a lot of time and effort to achieve your goals, but the effort if often rewarded. Put your mind and heart toward your goal, know that there are few easy paydays in life, and keep that original excitement and passion going hard until you reach it.
So true for everything in life. What to be a bad ass guitar player? Practice for years. What to be a professional athlete? Spend your life building the skills necessary. Want to be a successful doctor, lawyer or fireman? You have to work at that too.
It just so happens that the “business model” of blogging (assuming you are in it for the money) is one that requires giving away your product for free.
@LeanLifeCoach,
Remember when I first started out? You told me something to the effect of “good luck, most bloggers burn out after 3 months.”
The 10,000 hour rule comes to mind here… I’m about 300-400 hours into my blog, so that means I’m about 3-4% done mastering blogging… how’s that for perspective!
We can speed up time with more effort, but you can’t fake work which is shown through results… and a wonderful alexa rank, lol. Keep it up!
@Ryan @ Planting Dollars, 4% isn’t bad at this rate you’ll be done in about 2 years!
You can’t fake making connections with people, having them respect you, and them linking to your site!
Couldn’t agree with you more! Lots of work, creative thinking, and time is involved. I didn’t realize how much until I started, either. However, it is rewarding. And maybe someday it will make money, it could be one of my “passive income” generators. But I don’t think the amount of effort I put into it can be considered “passive”, can it?
@Little House, I agree that it’s probably not passive, maybe consistent? That would be a pretty good situation, no?
Yeah, I’ve had my blog for 9 days and have made 5 cents from Adsense so far. Woot! No, seriously, I’m extremely happy!
I was planning to make $0 FOREVER, so 5 cents is awesome! I just wanted a place to put my financial thoughts and some of my humor. The fact that anybody is reading it just makes my day!
As someone who just “discovered” your site in the last month or so, I’m so happy you stuck with it!
@Budgeting in the Fun Stuff, Congratulations on your first earnings? And that will only grow. And it will be nice for you to track your earnings and see what works and which events have the biggest effects on your earnings.
I wish I had your ambition when I was in college! This is something that could really grow with you! Nice alternate steam of income, especially at such a young age!
I didn’t realize that you started a month before I did!
May will be 2 years with my blog, posting regularly but not taking it seriously (I have yet to get to $100 in AdSense for a check!). I’m hoping to really focus on it this year, because I enjoy it. I don’t do it for the money, for sure.
when i first started doing this, the people i got advice from said that it was very easy to make cash online but nothing was further from the truth. the best piece of advice i ever got vis-a-vis blogging and internet entrepreneurship was that i look for something that i have a passion for so that i dont burn out after a short time. while i haven’t monetised by site, i still love blogging what i blog about and i could do it for free if i did not have bills to pay. i like the post, it is truthful and on point
Love your bold statement: Lot of wealthy college kids….HA!
I appreciate that you keep your site “clean”. The amount (or lack thereof) of ads speaks volumes to me as far as how serious the blogger is about providing quality content.
Something I’ve also noticed is many people are willing to work hard, but only for a limited amount of time. Particularly with friends who went into iBanking in the hayday – the logic was have no life and work ridiculous hours for 2-3yrs then get the hell out. Same even with online blogs and media. Work hard to produce *enough* content to start getting paid, then just sit back and eat cake.
Refreshing that you have a long term outlook. So many judge us as the “instant gratification” generation, but I feel quite the opposite. Plus, if you think about it – our impulse needs are only a byproduct of our upbringings anyway, so we’re not really to blame.
@FinEngr, Yah, blame our parents..
I think it’s more than just willing to work hard for a limited amount of time. I think values change. When you have no life, you realize that you miss it. People realize that who cares if you have money if you have no time to spend it and nobody to spend it with.
The instant gratification generation thing is a joke. I have friends who are all mixed. Some take the traditional path and have good-paying jobs and some aren’t worried about the future. I have always been about delaying gratification, and I definitely don’t feel out of place amongst my peers.
@Daniel,
Agreed. While an adult is responsible for their actions, that is still dependent on the “training” you receive as a youth.
I can’t tell you the number (actually, probably only 3 ;) )of videos I’ve watched were kids talk about how credit cards are the devil, thinking debit/credit are the same, and just general “Mommy and Daddy said…”
Oh my gosh, is it a lot of work for little money blogging! I truly love sharing my frugal tips and craziness with people so I guess the reward is when people leave comments saying they enjoy my blog?! :) Awesome post.
Very true!
I am getting so much pleasure out of blogging and being a part of the blogging community, that right now I can’t even imagine making money from my site- I’m enjoying just creating something that I have a passion for and enjoy learning about!
I always tell new bloggers (who want to make money) the same thing: if you’re ready to work full-time with no money for 6 months… then start a blog. :)
Good stuff Daniel.
@Matt Jabs, True, and I can’t imagine doing it only for the money. If there’s not that passion, you’d have to work extra hard. Like studying a subject you hate for years.
Hey Dan,
This post really struck a chord with me. A lot of people are always looking for a secret to success. It took me about 20 years to figure out that there is no secret – just hard work.
When looking at people who have done successful things, I used to credit their success to genius; I know realize that that’s just an excuse for not being to accomplish similar things. Time for me to get on it!
Studying a subject you hate for many years? You mean like a foreign language? I kid, I kid!
@Mike, I would also add that in addition to hard work, Smart work is also needed. Hard work alone can result in a monumental waste of time.