I have recently taken up a new exercise routine. I have a membership at a gym. For a long time I have been going about twice a week on average, which is pretty good. (Better than nothing!) But it meant driving to the gym, and fitting it into my schedule at the times of my favorite classes or when I could be away from the house or work.
Things would come up and I'd skip a session here and there and pretty soon I noticed that things were changing, not in a good way. I actually popped a button on a pair of pants!
That was it. I had to find a better way. I had to find a way to exercise that I enjoyed and that I could do more consistently.
As my B-School Mentor, Marie Forleo, says, "Everything is figure-out-able."
So, I signed up for an online exercise and wellness platform, and I started working out for 15-35 minutes every morning. It's great! I look forward to it because I can pick the routines that appeal to me, it energized me and I feel amazing, plus I'm starting to see real results.
There are other "muscles" in our life that we need to exercise, and Content Creation is one of them.
Just like our physical muscles, these skills and habits grow sluggish and weak if we don't exercise them consistently. We also face some of the same obstacles to keeping up with our goals, whether they are around fitness or content.
Here are some things you can do to give yourself the best chance for success.
Make it enjoyable
This is so important. We simply won't keep doing things that we dread.
I've had several clients who started off by saying that they "hate writing."
Well, I hate doing burpees, but I did 18 of them this morning!
As I said, it isn't about forcing yourself to do something you hate, but turning it into something you enjoy. This doesn't mean you will enjoy every single push-up or every word you type. Maybe it is about the music you listen to, the topic you choose, the environment you are in, or reward you give yourself.
What can you do so that after a content creation session, you are feeling great and already looking forward to the next one?
It is one of my favorite moments when my clients, who dreaded writing, are actually excited to get started on the next piece!
Don't start with the hard stuff
If you go to the gym after a long time away and try to bench-press 250 pounds, you are going to kill yourself. Or at least injure yourself and sabotage your future exercise goals.
When building your content creation muscles, it's the same thing. Don't dive into writing a huge piece or attempting a launch. Create a plan for where you want to go, and identify some small steps you can take along the way to get you there.
Lift 50 pounds consistently before piling on more weight. You might even get a little sore after the first couple of times. That's good. That means you are developing a new habit, a new mental muscle.
Get some help and accountability
If you show up at the gym and wander around looking at all the equipment, not sure exactly how to use it, you are going to waste a lot of time and likely not get the results you want. Plus you feel like an idiot.
You don't want to look like one, so you watch what other people are doing, and maybe try to copy them.
In the end, you don't have a real plan, it won't be enjoyable, and you won't have the confidence to keep it up.
Instead, take some group fitness classes, hire a personal trainer or get a workout buddy or a support platform. Results are so much better when you have the guidance and accountability of others around you.
The same is true for content creation. If you are muddling around without a content strategy or feeling uncomfortable with some of the tools, get help!
Getting a clear plan and the support you need to execute it is priceless. Are you ready to do this for yourself and your business? Schedule a free introductory call with me to explore your specific needs.
Tell me what you think! Does this analogy work for you? How often do you exercise your content creation muscles? Leave a comment below.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Schwab
