We all want a safety net to work with. A backup plan, just in case something doesn’t work out. If your blog doesn’t work out the way you had hoped originally, what did you want to do then? Many people recommend you create some kind of “fallback option,” or a plan for what you will do if your blog doesn’t work out. I think otherwise.
So many times when a blog closes down, the blogger behind it will just move on to the next big thing. They may stick with it, and they may not. But they had a plan of what they would do after their blog didn’t work out the first time.
Doesn’t it seem almost counterproductive? Why do so many of us have plans for what we will do if we fail at something we wanted to do? It just seems like that time would be better spent planning how we will work towards our success rather than what to do when it fails.
What a Fallback Option Really is
The less plans you have for when you don’t succeed, the greater the chance you will actually have to do what you want to do now and succeed in it when the time is right.
Having a plan for if or when you fail seems like a smart option. But psychologically, it means that at some point you plan on failing, or not being as successful as you want. No matter how pumped you are to start working on a new blog, and you see it as the next million dollar idea, the moment you think “What should I do if this doesn’t work out?” is the point where you may start heading for failure.
So if you don’t plan for failure, you should be successful, right? That’s not true at all, it depends more on how passionate you are about blogging and what you blog about. And that passion and commitment really determines if you will have a fallback option or not.
I don’t have any kind of fallback plan or any ideas for a blog if Blogussion doesn’t work out. But that’s because I know I won’t ever let this blog fail, and I will always stick with it and let it drive me to my success (which it already has). That’s the kind of mindset more bloggers need to have, but sadly don’t.
I achieved this type of thinking by doing the following things for myself:
1. Cleaning up my Disgusting Language
You and may have a different set of “curse words.” Basically, words that should never come out of our mouths. When it comes to my work ethic and even conducting business online, I feel the urge to wash my mouth out with soap when I use the following words:
- If/when
Example usage: If/when my blog dies, I have ___________ to look forward to… - Failure
Example usage: I failed to complete my set tasks for the day… - Later
Example usage: I’ll just do it later… - Probably
Example usages: “Things probably won’t work out,” “I probably won’t get around to this today…” - Blame/Scapegoats
Example usage: “It’s not my fault things didn’t work out…”
I recommend you add those words to you list of “curse words” as they should never utter from your mouth! Unless of course you have a fallback option for later.
2. Staying Persistent and Patient
I am well aware of the fact that I won’t achieve my goals and dreams all in a day, or even a month. It takes time, and it takes patience. If you can’t make those two things work together, you might as well start working on your next unsuccessful venture now.
It’s a very cliché piece of advice, but it’s extremely important. Persistence and patience are among the top personality traits every blogger should have for success. This is one of the best piece of advice I can give you for staying persistent:
As long as you enjoy what you’re doing, NEVER doubt yourself and always look at things optimistically, you cannot ever fail.
I have said that persistence is the most important trait of a blogger before, and I still stand by it later. What do you think is the most important trait of a successful blogger?
3. Work with Incentives
Any day where I turn my computer on and not feeling very motivated to start working, I look at the things I’m working for.
I have a lot to work for actually. Since I have no fallback option for what I want to for a business, I get myself working in that way. I want my business to be my job in life, and it’s doing it for me now. So, I want to keep it up and keep working.
It’s things like that which help me get working and working hard. I know I won’t fail because I am completely determined to have success with my businesses and live a life I want to live.
What gets you going?
4. More things to wonder
When I thought of a fallback option and how counterproductive it would be to actually have one, a few thoughts and questions came to mind that I want to share with you below. Think about them if you’re one of those people who have plans for when you don’t succeed:
- Generally, the thing you wanted to do before your fallback option will bring you more success and happiness. So, whatever you achieve with that secondary plan probably won’t be as satisfying as what you could have achieved with your first plan.
- If you couldn’t make your blog (which you may have been very passionate about) work, what makes you think it would be possible to make your fallback option (something you may not be as passionate about) work any better?
- If you let yourself fail once, do you just move on? Do you ever wonder why things didn’t work out, or did you just accept it? Hopefully you learn from your mistakes and don’t let them happen again for whatever you do next.
What’s your blog to you?
So many people I meet through this blog or on my Twitter account want to earn a living from their blog. Many are passionate about it, but I have seen even the most confident people fail. So, what do you see your blog doing for you?
32 Discussions
You have some valid points Alex. Never think about failure and you will always succeed.
Nice post!
That’s the mindset you should always have! As long as you achieve your own definition of success (which is most likely different than others) you’re perfectly fine.
WTF? How dare you steal my post! haha! I was writing about that too!!
I can’t agree more. I see my friends trying to get into a good college and they just don’t have a Plan B but all the way to Plan X,Y,Z! & more.
This, if not this then that or that or that… on it goes and they never focus. They just don’t believe that they can get what they want.
I love the way Napoleon Hill puts it “Burn all the bridges so You can’t go back. Only option is forward.”
And really really love the way Abraham Hicks put it: “There is no right or wrong decision. Take a decision and make it the right one. You have the power to do that.”
Err.. can I add one more quote?
Saving my words for my post. It will be fun to reply you in a post (and hope that you will comment! the sky will break free that day! haha!)
King Sidharth´s last blog ..How to Handle GenY Talent Effectively
Whoops! Corrected quote:
~Abraham Hicks
Guess you better work faster bud.
Good quotes man. I actually got an idea for this article on a quote I heard over Twitter. I forget what it said exactly, but it tied in perfectly here. I should have included it.
wtf? I had the same type of post being guest posted on another blog??? Seems like one thing everyone is writing about.
It’s an interesting topic for sure, glad to see so many other people writing about it!
LOL .. everyone seems to writing about the same thing
wannabe´s last blog ..How To Get Much More Sex In Your Marriage
You are right — A fallback plan is a plan to fail. It is an irony when we plan to success but we also plan to fail (by prepare fallback plan).
Dana @ Blogging Tips Blog´s last blog ..GoDaddy May 2010 Discount
It is, and I don’t think many people pick up on it! I just say focus on ONE thing and put your hear to it…you’ll be great then.
Hey Alex,
Awesome post bud. “Cleaning up my Disgusting Language” Grreat ..!!
Thanks for sharing this great post.
Regards,
Dev
They are words I’d really like to stop saying, so yes, it’s my dirty language. :p
No back up plan. It’s do or die! lol I’m either going to make it, or I’m going to be broke.
That’s the way to look at it Richard, glad we think alike.
I guess my backup plan is to continue working 9-5 the rest of my life. Help!
Dude, bummer!
Do you want to make money online?
Alex. This is a great post. I’m just starting out myself, so it’s particularly poignant. It’s really important to absolutely believe that you will make it. If you start to doubt then you will automatically start thinking of new things to focus on.
I guess this is something a lot of bloggers do, especially when they have been writing their blog for three or four months and haven’t yet made the thousands they were hoping for.
Patience, Passion, Determination and a little Stubbornness. That’s what it takes I think.
That is, and that’s why I think many people fail. They just aren’t determined enough, and constant unsuccessfulness makes them think their blog isn’t going to make it.
That’s like me closing down Blogussion because I see my RSS count drop. Yeah, it sucks and doesn’t always recover automatically. But it happens to EVERYONE (even probloggers), so you just can’t let something like that ruin it for you.
Thanks for stopping by Mark, good luck with your blog.
Exactly, man!
Good luck with your new start-up.
Just being able to network and post articles for my readers is enough to keep me going. Even if things don’t “work out” in the long run, the relationships I’ve built with people over the years is the true benefit in the end.
I love interviewing people, digging into their minds and learning something new. That’s what blogging is to me: giving me a chance to learn something new every day either through my own voice or others.
Murlu´s last blog ..An Introduction To Blogging
That’s good man, you have something to work for. And as long as you successfully can deliver that content and keep networking, have you failed? Nope, you sound like one of the most successful bloggers out there.
I haven’t really taken advantage of interviews. I’d like to get one up one day, but I never saw that much value in them. Maybe you can convince me otherwise.
You nailed it, Alex! This reminds me of the quote, “Having a Plan B distracts from Plan A.” ~ Will Smith
I’d like to add “Hopefully” to your list of entrepreneurial curse words. I hate that word. I hear people all the time say, “hopefully I get this job” or “hopefully this happens.” It’s even incorrect, grammatically (but that’s for another post
). Things don’t happen because you hope they will happen.
I always know there’s something good to read on your site, Alex! Thanks.
Nick Tart´s last blog ..Interview: Lindsay Manseau, Freelance Photographer and Beyond
I’ve heard that quote before, it fits in perfectly.
I can’t believe I left out “hopefully.” For some reason I had trouble coming up with that list haha. But it fits in perfectly, and is a word I’d like to stop saying as well.
Glad you like my stuff man. I’ll do my best to keep it all a good read.
Alex,
I think this is the first article of many I’ve read where you might actually be showing your age…..just to clarify, that was actually a compliment. lol
Never forget, not everyone is in high school or college, where for all intents & purposes, you actually do have a fall back plan whether you know it or not…..much easier to find work, and the time to do so.
For those of us elder folk who may be working full time from home, supporting a family, house, car or two, etc, etc., not having a back up plan would be downright irresponsible.
Instead of DO OR DIE! These folk just need a much stronger entrepreneurial spirit and realize that yes, working for yourself can be much more rewarding; financially and every other way, then the said “backup plan”.
I say these and they because, while I am elder folk at 40, lol, I do not have a spouse or litter of my own.
Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..A TRUE Make Money Online blog – Part 2 – Choose My Domain Name
Haha thanks Dennis. I think? :p
I have always thought that maybe when I write articles like this – I let the fact that I’m in High School motivate me to say what I say; say how easy it all has to be. But I have so much more freedom most people our of school, as you said, don’t.
But I am still, regardless of how old you are, a true believer that if you are passionate about something and do enough work to let your passion dominate – you can achieve whatever you want. Money, fame, or just a cure for boredom. It’s yours for the taking, you just need to get it. Age not being a factor. Good point to bring up there Dennis.
Find a friend with a wife/kids/mortgage/two cars…have him tell her he’s going to make money online with no backup plan.
Be sure to film the response.
Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..10 Social Share Sites Chosen – Do You Agree?
Hmm! nice post. A good topic to discuss too.
I never make a back-up plan. My strategy is to make things work. Thought not every time things are gonna work. So I make alternate plans, which are made to support my initial plans not replace them.
Alex, What do you think about making alternate/supportive plans?
Agent Deepak | Blogging, Marketing & Success´s last blog ..How does Earning 4$ per Referral Sounds?
To me it doesn’t sound too much different than a fallback option. Instead of creating a fallback plan for the whole process, you are just creating fallback options for specific tasks.
If you mean a plan that will backup what you’re doing now, meaning: make it stronger and move you forward, then absolutely. If it’s a plan for when you fail, throw it out! Because your blog won’t fail, as long as you don’t let it.
Good question! I think Jeremy has a pretty good answer as well.
There might be something to be said about going ahead and burning those bridges so that we absolutely have to succeed or we sink!
Great post. Thank you.
Debra´s last blog ..Welcome To The Warm Milk Journal: I’m glad you are here!
Always positive thinking, that’s the key of succes, and don’t forget that if there is no pain, there is no gain.
Reza Winandar´s last blog ..5 Types of Comments That Attract Attention
Exactly Reza! You don’t have a backup plan for your blog, do you?
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