We tend to use the successful as templates. There’s nothing wrong with this. We have to start somewhere. After all, it would be nothing but stupidity ignoring what others have achieved. Gleaning from their experiences can save us pain, loss and many resources. Anyway, most of our learning is already learning from other people.
Sometimes we learn what to do, and, at other times we learn what not to do. Everyone is a great example. Some are great examples of what to be and do and others are great bad examples.
While we learn from people who’ve achieved significant success, we must not always follow suit. Sound like one of those, “there’s always an exception to the rule…” mantras, right? Perhaps it is. In the context of blogging there are many great examples to follow. I don’t think I would’ve blogged for this long if I didn’t have other bloggers inspire and challenge me.
One of the things that sort of became a huge thing in the last year or so, was whether to enable comments or not. Many notable bloggers and websites disabled commenting. After giving it some thought, I decided to keep my comments enabled. I wrote about it here.
For example:
Michael Hyatt is one of the notable bloggers who decided to disable commenting on his blog. A year or so later, he’s enabled them again. There’s nothing wrong with either decision he made. It is his blog and he can do what he wants with it. Just like you can with yours.
Great Reasons Not To Do What Great Bloggers Are Doing:
Context
This is key. Context can help you decide whether you should do something, or not. Those who’ve had significant success generally do things on purpose. They usually have thought things through. This is not always the case but it usually is.
The reason they use a particular solution may not be reason enough for you to follow suit. Understand your context. Sometimes circumstances are only peculiar. Don’t be quick to do something without seeking to understand how it applies to you.
Clarity
Besides context, clarity is another key. Context has to do with where and how. Clarity has a lot to do with the why. ‘Why’ shapes your pursuit. It is necessary to have it clear because it also determines your resolve, when it gets tough. It will be easy to abandon something worthwhile if your reasons are weak or unclear.
If you’re not clear about why your favourite blogger is doing something, it might be wise to wait. Try to understand. She could be experimenting. If you want to do the same, there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you understand the why.
Panorama
Don’t do something your favourite blogger is doing if it doesn’t fit in with your mission. Why you do something should, at the least, push the mission of your blog forward. Mimicking is stupid. Intentionality will give you better results. Try thinking about how something would affect your blog in the bigger scheme of things.
Could Be You
Have you ever thought about how some great things come to be? Sometimes it is because an unlikely person, in unusual circumstances chose to take an unlikely path. You could be that person. Why leave discovery and innovation for others? Everyone can attempt something different. Everyone can dare for significance. Why can’t it be you.
If I had to choose only one reason today, this would be it. What about daring to do something that hasn’t been done? What if, you decided to find a different way. Tomorrow your (blogging) hero could your student and herald.
[Tweet “Don’t do what your favourite blogger is doing because you’re trying something he hasn’t”]
For a season, be too busy to copy.
The Crux
Well, here were just a few reasons not to do what great bloggers are doing.
But, it is your blog, so do what you want with it. The reasons don’t have to make sense for anyone else. As long as you’re happy and are clear, or not, about it — do it. This is one of the reasons I love blogging. The platform is mine. I care about how I use it, but I don’t have to be stuck on others’ opinion about it.
At the end of the day, it is your blog not the great blogger’s blog — you decide for you.