I am a Canadian following the 2008 US presidential nominations with great interest. Out of the many candidates I find Illinois Senator Barack Obama to be inspiring and motivational.

I personally believe that everyone can learn something from Obama and his speeches, including bloggers. In this post I explain how new bloggers can use some of Obama’s inspiring quotes as way to understand good blogging practices. This is not a political post, so please read on …

“I’m asking you to believe not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington… I’m asking you to believe in yours.”

Key lesson: believe in your abilities

To become a successful blogger you have to first believe in your ability to create good content for your readers. It is said that every second, 2 blogs are created on the Internet. There are countless blogs on the same subject matter! This means you will have to compete very hard, for your blog to be noticed by a wider audience. The best way to compete is to differentiate your blog from the rest of the pack by developing your own unique style of presentation.

Some bloggers employ guest bloggers to create content. While guest posting is good way to expand your blog, you should not primarily depend on others to create content for your blog. Guest bloggers have their own reasons for writing guest posts. Therefore guest posts are not effective as your own posts when it comes to making your blog unique. You are the only person who can make your blog unique.

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”

Key lesson: continuing to do the right thing on a regular basis will lead to success

In order to become a successful blogger you should have a clear vision about your goals and objectives. Knowing your destination makes a long journey a little bit easier than having no clue about where we are headed. Clear goals and objectives allow you to keep your blog on track.

Your goals and objectives should be set for the long haul. Some people expect quick returns from a blog. But, building a successful blog can take years. You should have good perseverance, patience and determination.

Blogging needs a lot of discipline. You have to commit time for it everyday. Learning, researching and posting blog entries should become more than a habit, they should become part of your life style!

“This union [racial union] may never be perfect, but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.”

Key lesson: no blogger is perfect, but a good blogger strives to get better over time

Your blog posts will never be perfect. But as you continue blogging you can and should perfect it. A good blogger strives hard to get better over time. To become a better blogger you need be a voracious learner, learning through research, experience, successes and failures. A good appetite for learning will make you a better blogger and eventually an expert in your subject matter.

“Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference.”

Key lesson: do not get carried a way with the concept of making money online

Many people are interested in making money from their blogs. There is nothing wrong in trying to generate revenue from your blog using various money making programs. But some get carried away with the concept of making money online. In trying to monetize their blogs they loose focus on the content. Having good content is what attracts a large number of readers to your blog. When the quality of your content is compromised, your reader base will shrink. A shrinking reader base will have a cascading effect on your website traffic and revenue. Therefore it is important to have the right balance between the efforts you put on content creation and revenue generation.

“This campaign can’t only be about me…It must be about what we can do together.”

Key lesson: do not become self-centric

You are the driving force behind your blog. But that does not mean you have to be self-centric. Good bloggers collaborate with others. They invite guest bloggers to write for their blogs. They participate in social networking. They help new bloggers to get up to speed with blogging. By sharing their knowledge and expertise they build valuable relationships. Building relationships lead to new opportunities.

“Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it’s not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.”

Key lesson: learn from failures

Finally I want to leave you with the above quote that holds true for any successful blogging experience. This quote encompasses many key points we have discussed up to now and emphasizes the need to learn from failures.

As your blog matures it will face more scrutiny and critique by a wider audience. You will come across both constructive and negative criticism. While positive comments can make you feel happy and motivated, negative comments can halt your progress. To become a successful blogger you should become seasoned enough to face challenges and learn from failures.

Your comments are welcome.

Post Update (2 May 2008)

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Please checkout the following article at DoshDosh.com where the author explains the importance of empowering your audience with a powerful message.

It’s Not Just Words: The Importance of Empowering Your Audience.

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