What shoveling snow can teach you about blogging

Last week, the Washington, DC area was hit by one of the largest snowstorms we’ve had in four years. Some areas got as much as 18 inches of snow. Me, well I only had about 14 inches. When it stopped snowing, I opened my garage door (I couldn’t open the front door because there was too much snow) and this is what I saw:

The snow was up to my knees and it was heavy. I didn’t know where to start.

After three hours of shoveling, some melting and the fact the neighbor cleared his driveway, this is what my driveway looked like:

So, what can you learn about blogging from shoveling out your snowy driveway?

You have to start.

You can’t get very far if you don’t start shoveling (or blogging). That driveway will not magically clear itself. And yes, you can wait for the snow to melt…but you aren’t going to be able to get anywhere until it does.

You will see results.

Blogging, like shoveling snow, can be a hard, long process. But the results are there if you just start working at it.

It takes as long as it takes.

It may take you three hours or it may take you 20 minutes. My neighbor, who is younger and taller than me, was able to dig out his driveway in about 45 minutes. He also helped my other neighbor do his. There are different levels of skill and ability, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. If it takes longer, it does.

What is stopping you from blogging? Is it that it daunts you? Is it that it is hard? Let me know. And keep an eye out for details about my next blogging workshop, to take place in Washington, DC on April 1.