Blogging is an art, mixed with science, when done at its best.  It requires time and effort but can deliver amazing results and real value for you, too.

So, don’t constantly thing about about those ‘guaranteed systems’ and affiliate ‘get rich quick’ networks that you’re constantly bombarded with.  Honestly, do it properly and genuinely – you’ll end up with something worthwhile.

1. You Know Your Abilities – Set Realistic Daily or Weekly Targets

There are many smaller steps that you will need to take to get the ball rolling before you hit the big time. Don’t simply set the goal and work vaguely towards it. If your ultimate goal is to earn $400K from your blog in 2012 then decide what you will need to on a regular basis to make that happen.  You need to understand your goals and work towards them decisively.

It’s very easy, very very easy, to become tired and overwhelmed.  And to become disconsolate, too.  This is especially true when there are huge mountains to clamber over and deep rivers to swim through – well, it certainly seems that way.

Remember: you can eat an elephant, one bite at a time.

You’ll get to the mountains soon enough.  Beforehand, stride over and through the hills and the valleys. Do you have a target of 500 posts for the year? Good enough, set that goal and start striving towards a weekly target.  Which becomes a monthly target.  Which becomes a yearly target.

2. Grasp, Always, The Opportunity To Help Others in the Blogosphere

To be a good blogger involves a lot of community building.  As in life, when you have a successful and happy community, there isn’t usually a thought of selfishness or deadly competition. Without a successful community supporting your blog, then you can probably give up on blogging.

Just do something else if you don’t like the community vibe.

True community building activities will require that you make yourself available to offer guidance and assistance to other aspiring bloggers who may not have a clue. Don’t think of them as competition but as a free gift on your road to success. Use each opportunity to build solid relationships and promote yourself as a blogger.

Honestly, we don’t mean this in a superficial way, just build your blogging community.

3. Consider The Best Your Blog Can Be – And Focus On That

In life, if something doesn’t exist within your imagination then most likely it will never become a reality.

What this isn’t about is having random dreams and wishes day in, day out, but more like specific goals that you want to achieve for yourself and your blog.  And, if relevant, your business.

Set out and stick to a clear mental picture of what your visitor statistics will look like, begin to feel the life you will be living from your blog’s income, anticipate the freedom you will have through living the internet lifestyle and experience the happiness and joy in the present knowing that your dream IS becoming a reality daily.

Envision the certainty that is your success daily and it will be drawn closer to you.  In fact, you’ll feel it getting closer.  You’ll smell it.  Taste it.

4. TAKE ACTION – Don’t Wait

If you have a writing idea, just write it, if you would like to implement a new writing style or design, just get it done.  Don’t over-engineer ideas in your mind as you’ll definitely over-complicate them and in fact de-value them.

If you delay and complain about, moan and feel resentful about, necessary tasks multiplies to 100 more and the more time it will take to achieve your success. Not to mention that this is an excellent way to develop the dreaded writer’s block. So for today and the days to come, Just Do It and Make It Happen! You have more to gain than lose.  If you don’t try – what have you got.

Not to try is to achieve real failure.  A dream is not what you have in your head at night, it’s what actually keeps you awake and out of bed.

Good luck. Most of all, enjoy it.

CB