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Why I Blog and Why You Should, Too!

Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. — Robert Louis Stevenson

Have you ever thought — if you are a blogger — to pull the curtain on your blog? You are not alone! Every blogger has faced this conundrum.

With so many pieces of a puzzle to tackle, it’s easy to lose track of the source of inspiration. I’ve committed preposterous act of losing focus three years ago after launching my first blog, and experiencing a short-lived success.

It’s been six months since I’ve launched this blog, and I am constantly reminding myself about the source of inspiration for my blogging journey.

If you are constantly looking at your adsense screen — in dismay–  with paltry few cents for your relentless efforts,  and  if you are about to throw in the towel on the hard work that you have done to grow your blog, please let me convince you that your efforts are not going to go in vain. I don’t want you to commit the same sin that I did few years back.

Vered is one of the kindest bloggers you can ever find on the blogoshpere. I’ve known Vered since my early days after launching successsoul blog. This is what she wrote after I stopped blogging in early 2009.

Shilpan Patel burst into the self-improvement blogging scene with a great writing style, plenty of ambition and several posts that landed digg’s front page. However, he soon realized he can’t monetize this blogging success and decided to go back to focusing on his business and on his family. The blog is now gone.”  —  Vered, Momgrind

A jolt of remorse occupied my mind when I read her article. I let down so many friends. In six brief months, so many blogger friends invested in my progress selflessly. I pulled the plug without even having a decency to articulate my thoughts to those who had so much faith in my talent and ability to inspire others.

I wasn’t successful at monetizing my blog, but I was successful at inspiring others by sharing my thoughts and way of life.

1. Blogging is a noble passion.

In my pursuit to capitalize on the blogging success, I forgot  that blogging is more of a noble passion than merely a tool to earn income. I’ve been in business for a while but I’ve never had a passion that kindled my heart as intensely until I began blogging. Being an engineer by education and hotelier as an entrepreneur, I have a passion for people and for enhancing human values that make life a memorable voyage. No other platform provides way to express your thoughts freely without any barriers —  to enrich your life with millions of like-minded, selfless people on this earth!

2. Your competitors are your best friends.

By design, we are trained to compete — to get admission to an engineering or a medical school; to find the first job; to climb the corporate ladder. The list goes on. Blogging has set a new paradigm for competition. It’s the only profession and passion that allows you to connect with others who are competing on a different plateau.  Your competitors are taking time to read and enrich your thoughts to help you improve your life financially or spiritually. Have you noticed that even if you’ve not made a dime, you’ve become a better person, a positive magnet to others around you, someone who has found a new meaning in life to connect with millions of great souls around the globe?

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to attend seminars on personal growth or personal finance lessons anymore. With a few dollars worth of investment, and passion to share, you can learn habits to become a better person and be shrewd at your finances even if you don’t earn a dime on your blog.

Where else can you find a brother like friend thousands of miles away to inspire you even after you haven’t communicated for a while? Scott McIntyre will remain my dear friend for life only because of my blog. He wrote me an email —  back in late 2009 after I stopped blogging — to remind me that I have a purpose larger than making money on the Internet.

I credit a great deal of my blogging success to his selfless and invaluable advice. I am looking forward to working with him someday in the future.

“I definitely think you should return to blogging. You have an undoubted talent for writing and many people loved your articles. It would be such a shame if you were never to write again — even if it’s on a part-time basis.”  — Scott, Vividways.com

 Mary Jaksch is another amazingly selfless, enthusiastic friend I found in the blogging world. I will be forever indebted to her selfless desire to nurture my talent and even to offer me an opportunity that very few lucky bloggers can dream of.

Even though I have not made much money in the blogging world, I have made hundreds of friends and touched thousands of hearts. I have built an extended circle of friends —  Jim, Alik, Jason, Jeremy, Sam, Kevin, Daisy, Jefferson & Michelle, Anthony, MMD, MC, Erin, Jim Hudson, Andrew, Mark, Steve and many others.

My blog is my voice and identity. It’s a powerful medium to exchange thoughts and ideas to improve my life, and to make difference in this beautiful world. Do you agree?

 Elsewhere:

Modest Money 6 Month Blogging Anniversary

4 Reasons Why Blogging is a Noble Passion

2 Years of Blogging: My Thoughts

Photo by: alshepmcr

Comments (38)

Thanks Shilpan! I had no idea you had been blogging for so long (and were so famous)!

Thank you my friend. I am really enjoying sharing my thoughts!

Thank you for the mention, MMD!

[…] • We all know that Shilpan at Street Smart Finance can write, but did you know that he’s been blogging for longer than we think? Who knew? Check out “Why I Blog and Why You Should, Too“ […]

[…] Why I Blog and Why You Should, Too! on Street Smart Finance – Shilpan started his blog around the same time as me and just celebrated his 6 month anniversary. He didn’t give details on his big party, but he talks about why he got into blogging. […]

Some people are just a lot better at monetizing their sites than others are. I definitely haven’t figured out the trick to Adsense or to affiliate advertising but I’ll keep trying.

I enjoy blogging and ultimately it’s fun to see my traffic continue to grow. Keep up the great work Shilpan! It’s been great to get to know my competitors.

Agreed. I am making lots of friends. There are lots of other ways to make money, but there aren’t many other ways to make friends around the globe.

I’ve just started blogging after I retired. New world, lots of things to learn (oh man, is there a lot to learn! LOL)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Also liked the Ben Franklin post.

Congratulations! Thanks for visiting. Blog is a great way to communicate with friends and others without any constraints since you’ve already retired.

Just found your blog! Seems like you have a lot of good info to share and it is a shame that you shut down your first blog but sometimes things change and you just need a break. Glad you came back and I look forward to exploring your blog!

Thank you,Lance! I’ve visited your blog. Keep up the great work, my friend.

Certain niches are just very tough to monetize. In something like a self improvement blog you’re stuck with most just reviewing books or creating your own book. With finance there is a lot more monetary potential. Plus while you are trying to earn money you can still be helping people improve their lives. I do really like how blog marketing allows you to build friendships with competitors. It’s so much better than cut-throat e-commerce website marketing.

That’s what I admire you about! You are so smart when it comes to monetizing and SEO. I encourage everyone to check Jeremy’s blog before pulling the curtain on your blog.

Yes, I do agree! Shilpan, you have a unique style, perspective, and message. The personal finance blogosphere would be poorer without you, so keep on writing please! Like you, I’ve made little money from Money Counselor, but I’ve learned so much and met so many supportive and interesting fellow bloggers, I’m still far richer.

Kurt, I am both honored and humbled! I speak from my heart with the hope to make difference. It’s hard to measure success with blogging, but I measure it by making one friend at a time.

Such a wonderful post! I’m so glad you’re around and always write such on topic, encouraging posts. Blogging is a unique beast and can get discouraging. Sometimes it’s easy to forget there’s real people out there who have been helping you!

Thank you. This is a solemn reminder to all of my blogger friends that we have a purpose larger than what we think. This is our opportunity to enhance human values by exchanging life transforming thoughts and idea.

I have thoroughly enjoyed blogging for the past six months for many reasons, first and foremost being the interaction with others..

I love seeing the way that folks like Shilpan look at the world, and knowing that when I spend time to cook up an article of my own– that others will be interested to hear how I look at the world.

Becoming a blogger has really been stepping into a new world..

Thank you for the kind words, Jefferson! You are doing an amazing job. I enjoyed reading your ‘dusty guitar’ article. Keep up the great work.

I always wondered if this was your first blog. Your posts have such wisdom and insight behind them. Congrats on being famous. I am glad you got back into it. You really are an influential writer that many of us can benefit from.

I started blogging as an experiment which I now like too much to quit.

Thank you for your kind words, Miss T. How much your happiness is worth? I get abundance of happiness to share my thoughts with like minded friend.

Wonderful post, Shilpan! Over the years, blogging has been presented as a great income source that virtually anyone can do. While this may still be true, there are countless bloggers who find the income angle to be more hype than reality. It’s understandable that so many quit after just a few months.

My blog is two years old, and I’ve yet to make a pile of money with it. I’ve given up on the hype, but not on my blog. I gives me peace of mind knowing that it has contributed to helping so many people.

” I’ve given up on the hype, but not on my blog. ” — Well said my friend!

Thanks for your insight, Anthony. Well said.

Excellent post Shilpan, Not all bloggers are created equal, you get what you put in and hard work really pays off when it comes to blogging.

Agreed. It takes lots of hard work for an extended period of time when it comes to blogging success.

I just found your blog via a Pick the Brain tweet. Thanks for the words of encouragement, Shilpan. My website is about 5 months old and still going:
http://easyabundantlife.com/
I enjoy it so much and love to watch & help it grow. And you’re right, I have improved myself by blogging about self improvement. Very therapeutic! I bookmarked your site and subscribed so that I can come back and keep in touch.

Thank you for stopping by! I like your enthusiasm and what your blog has done for you. All the best my friend.

I agree! Blogging is not just about making money. Thank you very much for the mention.

I am so glad to see your comment, Vered! Thanks for everything. I am both humbled and honored to know you and others on the blogosphere.

[…] Why I Blog and Why You Should, Too! on Street Smart Finance […]

Hi Shilpan,

I’m glad that you decided to return to blogging, because you have a wonderful voice and a lot of wisdom to share, and the whole world would be missing out if you decided to stop writing.

Thanks very much for the mention as well. 🙂

Thank you for the kind words, Kevin!

[…] @ Street Smart Finance writes Why I blog and Why You Should, Too! – Have you ever thought — if you are a blogger — to pull the curtain on your blog? You […]

[…] Street Smart Finance — Why I Blog and Why You Should Too […]

Every time I start to question whether or not to continue blogging, I log into my stats. From there, I can see what people searched for to find my blog and whether or not they found something helpful on my blog. That way, I’m reminded that my goal is to help people and if I’m doing that, every thing else is secondary. 🙂

That’s an awesome way to remain focused, Jen! I believe that if you keep doing that consistently, you will make money as a bye-product.

[…] @ Street Smart Finance writes Why I blog and Why You Should, Too! – Have you ever thought — if you are a blogger — to pull the curtain on your blog? You […]