Blogging Lessons From 3 Amateur Trumpeters
This is a guest post by Mkakan who is a blogger. You can read his blog at Mkakan.com for useful blogging tips.
Every weekend in my neighborhood – not far from where I reside – 3 boys usually practice playing the saxophone and a trumpet. I could tell they were not great players. The horrid sounds that came out from the ends of the instruments could cause a pregnant woman to have a miscarriage. 
Once, as I was passing by, I asked them playfully who was punishing them and teased them that their mouth and chicks would one day remain swollen and never go back to shape as they kept playing the instruments. We all laughed over it and slowly became quite close …
That was 6 months ago…
Recently, I heard them play the instruments again. Oh, these boys again, I said. Then immediately I realized.
The sound coming from the instrument was a sweet melody.
It sounded good.
I shook my head and muttered to myself.
“Practice makes perfect”
These guys had been practicing for over 6 months. Their constant practice paid off. It didn’t matter if they got it wrong the first time.
I smiled and looked for a pen; I had a new blog post.
LESSONS FOR BLOGGERS
To be frank with you, the lessons from this story can be applied to anything in life. It doesn’t matter if it is blogging or business.
1. Like You Know Already , Practice Makes Perfect
We all have the innate power and ability to learn whatever we want to learn. Even if it is completely alien to us but it is only practice that can make us perfect or rather near perfect.
The only way you can become better at blogging is to keep on practicing blogging. You can read all you want about blogging but it is only when you start practicing that you really start learning.
So keep blogging and learning how to do it better.
2. Consistency
Those boys practiced every weekend. Perfection requires a plan, practice and some consistency. Do you have a plan for your blog? What of a schedule?
If you have one, the next question is-do you stick to it?
3. Make Mistakes
Yes, make mistakes because it is one of the best ways to learn. A lot of us are scared of mistakes. We want to know everything about a blogging topic before we try it out. We don’t want to make mistakes. We want our blogging to be perfect.
Wrong move.
Start, make mistakes and learn in the process. I have made many mistakes and have learned from it.
Of course, I am still making mistakes. In fact I am looking forward to it.
An entrepreneur once said;
“If you are not embarrassed by your first product, then you were late in the game”
In place of first product, you can add blog, business or ideas. It all works the same way.
4. Keep Practicing
Those guys sounded better after 6 months but that did not stop them from still practicing every weekend. The day you believe you have peaked, you may start going down.
The day Darren Rowse believes he has achieved his blogging goals and stops blogging; his top blogging status will slowly drift to someone else.
So keep doing what you do even if you have gotten better at it.
So how do you motivate yourself? How do you learn? What are your thoughts.
Article written by Mkakan
Hi, I am Mkakan(Mkpouto Akaninyene Usua). I am a Nigerian blogger and CEO of MK Wealth Co., publishers of FASTCLICK. My major interests includes entrepreneurship and blogging. You can read my blog for lots of blogging tips. You can also follow me on Twitter @mkakan.
Mkakan has written 1 superb article(s) on this blog
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25 Comments Add yours
Twitter: @waynevassell
February 3, 2010
10:29 pm
Hey Mkakan,
Yes, i agree you have to just get in there and do it, make mistakes and improve.
I know it is easy to procrastinate and get nothing done.
Nice post.
Wayne Vassell@Home Based Business Leads´s last blog ..My Respects To The MLSP System!
Twitter: @heidipassey
February 3, 2010
11:34 pm
Hi Mkakan,
It’s true it takes practice. I used to love writing when I was young, but now when I sit down to write for my blog I go blank. But, the more I post, the easier it gets. The same goes for all the extras’ plug ins, set up etc. I had no clue what I was doing when I was setting it up and I had to redo some things a few times until I got it right. I am just getting better as I go. (Definitely a lot more to learn too!)
Thanks, Heidi
Twitter: @velnet
February 4, 2010
1:35 am
Interesting post, yes you have really said it practice makes perfect even in blogging! Yes you should get yourself into the habit of writing and creating content. As i always says if you expect your readers to be consistent visitors, you to be consistent with your content!
Twitter: @imstrategies
February 4, 2010
4:08 am
Great story and analogy and great points. Practice and the experience of doing for any online venture is always the key to success.
JR @ Internet Marketing´s last blog ..19 Social Web 2.0 Sites To Promote Internet Marketing, Blogging, Make Money Online Content
Twitter: @pay_me18
February 4, 2010
4:27 am
This is great info…
Also, when it comes to blogging it just not about consistency and learning, but it is also about having a passion for the things you talk about on your blog.
Reggie Barnett´s last blog ..You Need More Than A Landing Page For Your Internet Home Business Website
Twitter: @imstrategies
February 5, 2010
3:54 am
I am completely agree with you on this, I have started blogs that I just could not get into and they failed horribly. It was too boring to write about and the posts sucked.
JR @ Internet Marketing´s last blog ..Last Chance to Buy The Best Spinner Tool for Half Price
Twitter: @jannihebbar
February 4, 2010
11:52 am
practice is key to blogging. so also are the urge and enthusiasm to learn new things, to keep ourselves updated with the latest techniques.
Dr Hebbar´s last blog ..12 effective tips for sex power increase
Twitter: @sudharsanece
February 4, 2010
2:12 pm
This point valid for a person who want success in his life..
I want to add one point
Patience is also a must quality for a bloggger.
Though you made hardwork it will surely take time to earn money in blogging
Twitter: @mkakan
February 5, 2010
1:05 am
sudharsan
you are so right.Patience is what we all need because no matter what ,we can’t learn every thing over night.
even over night takes time…
mk akan´s last blog ..BEING DIFFERENT, LESSONS FROM CNN
Twitter: @bloggerspassion
February 4, 2010
9:26 pm
if making mistakes is a way to success, then i will be a star in a year….
Twitter: @mkakan
February 4, 2010
9:30 pm
@wayne thanks
making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn,the more mistakes you make the more you know the things you should not do
@ Heidi,@Biodun.both you are right .the more you do the better you get.there are no short cuts
Twitter: @mkakan
February 5, 2010
1:32 am
Thanks for all the comments and contributions…absolutely love it
mk akan´s last blog ..BEING DIFFERENT, LESSONS FROM CNN
Twitter: @Dennis Edell
February 5, 2010
1:39 am
You nailed it, far too many bloggers give up way to fast.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..The Time Has Come. The Deal Is Done. It’s Time To Move!!
Twitter: @Dennis Edell
February 5, 2010
1:39 am
Forgot to subscribe to comments.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Welcome Aboard Part 2! All The Info You’ve Been Waiting For…
Twitter: @runeofmagic
February 5, 2010
4:45 pm
good posting yeah practice makes perfect for many thing.
RInaldi Syahran´s last blog ..Wordpress Twitter Plugin: Twitter Tools by Alex King
Twitter: @mkakan
February 5, 2010
7:35 pm
@tushar…hahaha…making mistakes is unavoidable,expect it to happen but don’t go out and make mistakes deliberately or twice….that would be unwise….keep making mistakes it pays…
mk akan´s last blog ..BEING DIFFERENT, LESSONS FROM CNN
Twitter: @howbloggerearn
February 5, 2010
11:30 pm
Making mistake and then learning after that might be costly, at least sometimes, right ?
Mike Skel´s last blog ..Benefits of puting custom google internal search
February 6, 2010
3:08 am
Another lesson: Patience (is a virtue). It seems so many new bloggers give up too early – before they are able to realize and learn from their mistakes.
Twitter: @scopeformoney
February 6, 2010
8:43 am
I think its all about practice. And you know practice makes a man perfect
Anil Gupta´s last blog ..How to Make Money from Traffic Exchange Sites?
Twitter: @JayceOoi
February 6, 2010
12:47 pm
Blog traffic keeps me moving. Higher visitor count == better in my mood.
Jayce´s last blog ..How to install Garmin Mobile XT for Windows Mobile Phone?
February 7, 2010
7:35 am
Very true indeed. Practice makes men perfect.
Kepler´s last blog ..Save ink with Ecofont
February 7, 2010
9:19 am
Excellent points. There are so many people who try to make some money at blogging or building websites and make a mistake and then just completely quit. Can you imagine if you worked at a normal 9-5 and made a mistake and then just walked out the door and said you quit. If you really want to succeed at making money from blogging or marketing online you have to treat it like a real job and business. Put in the time and effort and make a comittment to learning and practicing as much as possible.
Tiffany @ online passive income´s last blog ..My January Online Passive Income Earnings Revealed
Twitter: @mkakan
February 10, 2010
6:36 pm
success requires practice,mistakes and patience…we all need these..
Twitter: @mohitmohan
February 15, 2010
12:35 am
really good post Mkakan, Practice is most important every where
MostlyBlog´s last blog ..Google Buzz Desktop Application
Twitter: @kristengilmore
February 28, 2010
10:53 pm
These are really awesome tips. I’ve found with my blog its just best to experiment with what works best for both readers and for me to write.
Kristen´s last blog ..Sorry About Lack of Posts