Comments on: What I Have Learned in Four Years of Blogging

By: Mollie Lyon

Mollie Lyon — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:27:00 +0000

Being fairly new to blogging, just under a year, I find the clarification is a major part. I started the process to keep the family stories alive as much as possible after my mother, the true historian, passed away. I find it is also my writing journey. And a lot of fun that brings joy to my readers.

By: levittmike

levittmike — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:27:00 +0000

Blogging is a great way to write about anything and everything. It allows us to connect with people we would likely not have encountered. Thanks again for all that you do!

By: Lori Stanley Roeleveld

Lori Stanley Roeleveld — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:21:00 +0000

I expected blogging to connect me with people I don’t know but have been surprised at how it’s connected me with coworkers and local acquaintances. The conversations that begin with people on my blog as they read my posts are often continued in person when they come to me with a deeper interest in my faith. In fact, a series of posts I did about why it’s hard for some Christians to talk about homosexuality, opened a fruitful dialog with a gay coworker that played out online and in person. What started, admittedly, as a vehicle for “building my writer’s platform,” has turned into a place where I can transparently express my quirky perspective on faith, an outlet for my creative energy, and a surprising door-opening vehicle for this remedial evangelist.

By: Eva Pauline Scott

Eva Pauline Scott — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:16:00 +0000

I started blogging as a way to focus on something other than my home business. Now it gives me a way to reach goals and make them public as well. I agree that it helps clarify my thinking, and it also helps me to clarify the way I present my ideas in other places besides my blog.

Your blog has been very helpful with ideas in so many areas besides just writing. Thanks!

By: Steve Morgan

Steve Morgan — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:07:00 +0000

I have found that blogging helps me slow down and metabolize what I am reading and thinking about. I blog mostly about five things that are the focus of my personal mission: Live well. Love deeply. Learn continuously. Lead courageously. Leave a legacy. So this helps me also keep on track with my life mission.

By: Barry Pearman

Barry Pearman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:43:00 +0000

I have only been blogging for the short time of about 6 months but I have found that blogging has enabled me to get some of my thoughts and ideas out there to a wider audience.

I have a passion for helping people with Major Mental Illnesses. The Blog has enabled some of them to have a voice. So blogging has been very empowering.

Blogging is a place where you are given the right to speak and be heard.

Thanks for the great posts Michael.

By: Mischelle007

Mischelle007 — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:25:00 +0000

I have been blogging for about a year to help promote an inspirational novella that my seventeen year old daughter wrote as a fund raiser for college. The book is called ICU.

In addition, I just started a new blog called reformed-health.com because I can see that there are so many Christians who are suffering needless ill health.

http://www.icubook.wordpress.com promotes ICU

http://www.reformed-health.com promotes health from a biblical perspective

By: Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:39:00 +0000

Awesome. Welcome!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:33:00 +0000

I too have been blogging before I discovered the term “blogging.” I wrote articles online and would share them vie email to friends. I discovered blogger.com in early 2005– right before I had my son. I had just quit my job because of a high-risk pregnancy and I was at home resting. Instead of “just resting” I began writing more.

I love blogging. I have two on my website right now for women– one where I write devotionals for moms and business women and another for single women where I discuss relevant topics from a Christian woman’s perspective. That’s my most active one.

Blogging does everything you mentioned for me too. I love engaging with my audience about facts of life. It’s so wonderful to get comments and even prayer request from many viewers.

It also helps keep me accountable too. It’s a great way for me to stay in the bible, since my aim is to encourage women from a godly angle. I love it!

By: Lucille Zimmerman

Lucille Zimmerman — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:31:00 +0000

Blogging has made me succinct writer. It helps me distill my thoughts into essential words and forces me to clarify my thoughts.

By: Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:17:00 +0000

I love that, too. Thanks.

By: rachaelebner

rachaelebner — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:16:00 +0000

I’m looking forward to starting my own blog this week! I just started following yours last week after my friend sent me the link for your Life Plan article and eBook.

By: colleen laquay urbaniuk

colleen laquay urbaniuk — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 01:16:00 +0000

the best part of blogging to me is that you can write something today that will still encourage someone days, weeks and months from now. somehow, through the details put in a search engine (and of course the grace of God) a person can find hope, light or the courage to go on at any time of day or night. i love that part.

By: The Leadership Quotient of Blogging | The Daily Saint

The Leadership Quotient of Blogging | The Daily Saint — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:01:56 +0000

[...] a good starting point to blogging, I recommend “What I’ve Learned from Four Years of Blogging” by Michael [...]

By: Most Helpful Blogging Tips « David's Place

Most Helpful Blogging Tips « David's Place — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 12:08:41 +0000

[...] What I Have Learned In Four Years of Blogging (Michael Hyatt) [...]

By: samluce

samluce — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:24:00 +0000

Michael,

Really love your stuff. I find your posts thought provoking yet you always seem to add practical steps for people to apply what they have just been inspired by. Thanks for making your blog public you, your company and must of all of us who read it are better for it.

sam

By: What I’ve Learned while Blogging « A Chorus of Echoes

What I’ve Learned while Blogging « A Chorus of Echoes — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:27:45 +0000

[...] expressed what they have learned through their experiences in blogging. Do read up this particular post by Michael Hyatt on what he learned through his own [...]

By: Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:13:00 +0000

Thanks, Rachel. I appreciate your loyal readership!

By: Rachel Olsen

Rachel Olsen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:23:00 +0000

I too write to discover and clairfy what I think. And watching my readers’ responses shows me what they think, feel or need. That’s invaluable information.

I glean lots from your blog. Tips about leadership, new technologies, productivity helps and the publishing industry. But I also just enjoy your well read, experienced, thoughtful perspective on whatever you happen to write about. Thanks for blogging!

By: Suranjansoans

Suranjansoans — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:42:00 +0000

Mike, These are great thoughts. For me–I an relatively new and it has been less than a year since I began playing around with the social media–some of the benefits I gleaned have been:
1. Learning –It is also free. :) I learn a lot!
2. Helps improve my communication.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:21:42 +0000

I'm still a rookie but i certianly agree with the first post. It helps me make sense of all the thoughts and ideas in my head.

By: alex marestaing

alex marestaing — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:19:12 +0000

Blogging has allowed me to be more transparent, and that transparency has caused people to get to know me better. Very cool.

By: aangron

aangron — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:15:49 +0000

i super agree with number 1. writing in any form definitely brings about clarity. the mind gets too cluttered with our ideas sometimes and writing in a way sorts it all. seeing the ideas written, as words on the screen or on paper provides a new perspective, which sometimes is just what we need.

By: Gary . Borgstede

Gary . Borgstede — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:35:32 +0000

Dear Mr. Hyatt, I'd like to thank you for sharing your thoughts on writing and blogging. Because of your blog posts encouraging authors and writers to develop a writer's blog of their own along with my Pastor's encouragement as well, I was motivated to take the plunge and figure out how to do it. Although it took me a while to figure out the basic Wordpress application, I'm glad I took the time to dig into it and develop my own blog for faith-based leadership development at www.makeithappenmoment.com As a result, I am excited about the new opportunities I have through The Make It Happen Moment ® faith-based leadership education blog to reach people and unleash their extraordinary God-given potential to make a difference in life! Thanks again and have a blessed day!

By: danisedelights

danisedelights — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:07:27 +0000

I am a relatively new blogger (less than a year). Originally, I started my blog to post weekly notes for a Bible Study that I teach. I hoped it would be an encouragement to others and was surprised to find that blogging has been a great encouragement to ME. An unexpected bonus!
Danise Jurado

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:05:41 +0000

At the top of my list, blogging is an outlet for me to write, since I'm not currently able to do that anywhere else. And I love to write (even if nobody reads it). In addition to the personal release this provides, I'm a firm believer that you must write to get better at writing and stay sharp.

By: Andreas Kallmeyer

Andreas Kallmeyer — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:03:54 +0000

I agree totally on your first point: it helps clarify your thoughts.

And it is a way to give something back – at least in my area.

Nice post.

Andreas

By: sharonsjobs

sharonsjobs — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:52:57 +0000

I love your blog & definitely am with you on #1 – I blog about career/resume advice because people were constantly asking me, "What's the secret to getting a job in this lousy economy?" – and writing about it has helped me clarify it for others, and for myself as I screen for positions as a recruiter – what does set someone apart? How can you tell someone is talented on paper? These were not questions I could have quickly answered before I started blogging.

One additional thing I'll add – I've learned that blogging can bring fulfillment. I'm surprised how happy I am to write and share my knowledge, and love seeing spikes in my view stats. It's like volunteering for a good cause without leaving my living room. Puts a smile on my face in a way that I didn't expect.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 22:09:43 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by michaelhyatt: After blogging now for several years, I have learned seven important things. Re-post: http://is.gd/qH8z…

By: Carol Buchanan

Carol Buchanan — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:27:43 +0000

In my two years in the blogosphere, I've learned that I can always learn more from other people about things I thought I knew about, that differentiating my blogs from other people's will take more time than I thought it would in the beginning. I have a small voice and millions of people are shouting to be heard. So it'll take more time for the people who want to hear me to find me. I constantly work to make my blog more valuable to other people and how to mix good humor with good information. And not to begin all my sentences with "I". Thank you for being a good teacher! My recent post What Happens in Scene 29?

By: James L

James L — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:22:30 +0000

I have learned how to communicate more concisely, especially with written communications. Big help with emails..
I am learning that not everything I think to be profound really is.
I have become more open as a person.

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:31:24 +0000

In the 5-6 months that I have been blogging, I have realized that I am writting for me. Whether or not people decide to read it or comment, I am able to write my thoughts and clear my mind.

It has also given me a new creative outlet. I used to choose golf or playing music, and still do, but blogging gives me another way of expression.

By: patalexander

patalexander — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:30:03 +0000

I'm still relatively new at blogging. So I am still learning. After a year and a half I am finally beginning to get feedback and more interaction. The reasons I began blogging were to share my perspective on social media, best practices and agency culture as I see them in the insurance industry. I am striving to continue to expand my base for more interaction so that I can learn how insurance agencies are thinking about and using technology and social media. Thanks for share with us Mike.

By: Carrie Partridge

Carrie Partridge — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:26:46 +0000

#1 and #3 really hold true for me. I have been blogging for a little over a year now, and I actually just posted about my genuine need to write. It helps me figure out a lot of things; it is a great outlet for me; and it is a very healing and satisfying artform. Thanks for encouraging all of us to pursue the craft of writing.

By: Netsol Blogs » Blog Archive » Useful Social Media Links

Netsol Blogs » Blog Archive » Useful Social Media Links — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:55:35 +0000

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By: Lessons from Blogging « Mesh Media Strategies

Lessons from Blogging « Mesh Media Strategies — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:41:16 +0000

[...] Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt lists seven things he’s learned from four years of blogging. Among them: greater visibility for his company, and the ability to bypass – or correct [...]

By: Random Thoughts 11JUL09

Random Thoughts 11JUL09 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:02:20 +0000

[...] of my heroes wrote a post called “What I Have Learned in Four Years of Blogging”. His post encourages me that from a CEO’s mindset, how important blogging is to me as a [...]

By: Michael Pokocky

Michael Pokocky — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:18:23 +0000

Thank you Deana! I visited your site http://deanaohara.com/ and you are going great there!
I liked your description of your use of a blog very much too in your comment to me.
As for learning, the day we stop learning we might as well give in to the couch and a bag of chips. Life without learning is not creativity in motion. That's the way I feel about what our real purpose is.
Cheers and you might want to join my group on twitter @thecalvenigroup for writers and publishers at the intersection of technology. Trying to find a better way for all and there are many voices there. Pass this along to someone you care about enough to share this blog here by Michael Hyatt as well.

By: Deana O'Hara

Deana O'Hara — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:05:44 +0000

Great post Michael. I originally started blogging in 2004 as a way to keep my family up to date on what was happening in our lives. I've since deleted that old blog and started over again about two years ago when we opened our Mission Start.

For me, it was about getting my thoughts and ideas written down and out of my head. It's a great forum to clarify ideas and find direction. I want to be a writer, and writer's write. Blogging is a great venue to practice that art and develop those skills. It's also a place to save my smaller stories that I eventually pull together for the larger picture.

In blogging, I'm learning how to point and not ramble and paint as much as I used to.

Thanks for reposting this article.

By: Michael Pokocky

Michael Pokocky — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:52:49 +0000

Well we have something in common with respect to writing. You have written for the internet and thus what you have learned is a certain wisdom that only comes with someone who is passionate about what they do.
For me I am a diarist and have been since a very young age. Although I have been on the internet for 5 years or so and have had several blogs I was never ever comfortable with writing online. But I am keeping a journal.
What I have learned about being a diarist is similar with respect to no.1 in your post. However keeping a journal [see http://www.moleskinerie.com/2008/04/the-notebooks... ] all these years makes writing easy for me just as blogging has for you.
I share this with you because I think both are important for writers over the long term with surprising results. Don't you agree?

By: John Gallagher

John Gallagher — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:04:44 +0000

I am still an infant in the blogging world as I started in late 2008, but I find it to be a way to ‘journal’ my thoughts and my story. I have a long way to go before being published, though! Thanks for sharing, Mike.

By: human3rror

human3rror — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:34:27 +0000

this is awesome. thanks for this mike!

By: Clay Strong

Clay Strong — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:55:56 +0000

When I first began writing blogs, I was so negative that when I’d review them later, it was embarrassing. Then I realized that I was writing for my own self-gratification, without consideration of how it might affect the reader. I now begin each blog with a clear idea of how I hope to make the reader’s life better in some way. And, in many ways, it has made my life better. Michael Hyatt, you do that for others. Thank you.

By: Linas Simonis, PositioningStrategy

Linas Simonis, PositioningStrategy — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:06:46 +0000

“Blogging helps me to clarify my own thinking.”. That’s why I encourage all CEOs to start a business blog.

I think that in the future most of the CEOs will blog. Because the CEO is the best spokesperson of the company and because it helps the CEO to think about marketing strategy.

I want to point Michael’s words to all the readers in his recent comment: “The days of the lone CEO figuring it out from the ivory tour are gone.” You are right but this truth in most cases can be seen only by those CEOs, who are in real (not through market research company)touch with customers. And one of the best things to achieve this is to start a business blog.

For those CEOs I even wrote an e-book “The New Rules of Business Blog”, you can freely download it from my blog http://www.positioningstrategy.com.

By: RadX

RadX — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:38:30 +0000

I’ve been blogging since March 2006. I have learned that sharing my thoughts about life and my walk with the Lord can actually bless others in the process.

By: Tiffany Stuart

Tiffany Stuart — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:09:03 +0000

Your blog helps me as a writer. And as a fellow blogger, I blog to untangle my thoughts too.

Loved this.

By: Laura Christianson

Laura Christianson — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:44:21 +0000

I’ve been writing my Exploring Adoption blog the same amount of time as you’ve been blogging Michael, and I would add a #8 to your list: Blogging gives me insights into what others are most interested in learning about my topic.

Reader e-mails, comments, and visitor stats tell all; some of my posts that get the most hits are on themes I would have never considered writing about otherwise.

I’ve had so much fun with blogging that I’ve co-founded a business that helps businesses and individuals start their own blogs. We frequently cite your blog as a great example of what a CEO blog should “look” like.

Keep up the great work!

By: David Todd

David Todd — Mon, 12 May 2008 20:31:55 +0000

As a relatively new blogger (Dec 2007), I’ve learned: 1) it’s hard to always find something to write about; 2) it’s hard to find time to blog; and 3) it’s hard to establish a blog therem. At least these are hard for me.

Good post, Mike.

DAT

By: Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:56:13 +0000

@John Young: Thanks for your kind words. The truth is that I am trying to figure it out myself. The landscape is changing—rapidly.

This is why it needs to be a conversation. Different people see different things. The days of the lone CEO figuring it out from the ivory tour are gone.

Thanks again.

By: John Young

John Young — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:16:40 +0000

And Mike I’ve been reading and loving all your blogs since 05. I’ve watched you change in your thought process and I think it’s made you a better listener. A lot of CEO’s don’t feel the need to listen. And who’s going to tell them otherwise.
I don’t read a lot of blogs. I’m busy and most are boring. I’ve often said most blogs are either ego trips or cheap self promotion. But you’re not some random street walker, but instead in a unique position to assure us it’s all going to be ok or at least show you’re thinking about making it ok. Certainly last week’s major publishing exit is cause for concern.
I’m readings tons of research this hour on results of media impression, persuasion, and impact. I know some print guys have a strong bias for print, but with no surprise, newspapers and magazines are coming in very low in all these ad catergories. There is a lot of clutter, blur, and uselessness in all publishing.

Remember when we’d be somewhere and hear someone say thru tears “that book changed my life.” I don’t hear that much anymore. I miss that, but think for our survival, it is a necessary next step.