(Yes, I just created that word, "contenting".)

Most people in the online business world understand the phrase, "content is king".

That phrases describes the value of putting out content - whether words (a blog), images(e.g. flickr), videos(you know who), micro-phrases(twitter), or whatever ever else we use to communicate online with.

To put out valuable or funny information that is tied to us, has the potential to add an additional avenue by which people online can find us, learn about us, interact with us, and eventually buy from us.

(Thus this is ONE model for social media and/or search engine marketing.)

Now back to my above question, Do We Grow From Contenting - or from continually putting out content?

I ask this question because I wonder, how can we grow if we are always the one speaking? How can we develop ourselves if we are always putting out content but not consuming other's views? I wonder if we are plateauing and becoming outdated and irrelevant with every post we write.

Perhaps this is over analyzing. But it's a question I have to ask as I commit myself to blogging 3 times a week for this entire year.

Conclusion: My only assumption of a way out is IF people interact with our content, adding to it, questioning it publicly and creating a dialogue, only then will we have reason reflect, change, and grow.

Comments would be appreciated ☺

But in reality, I think their true uniqueness and independent thoughts are filtered to what would really touch the masses.

We think if we honestly expressed what we felt, not enough people would identify with us, and thus we would be rejected.

However, here's a different thought. What if we did not filter our true feelings to save face or to be politically correct. Could we actually touch to the core, the people who truly resonate with us?
FYI: This post was inspired by an interview of Seth Godin and Merlin Mann talking about Bob Dylan.

See: http://43folders.com/2010/01/26/godin-linchpin

In the world we live in - technology allows niche ideas to spread fast and inexpensively. Social media can help one person find the 0.00001% of the world who relate to them - connect - and get enough support for their business or ministry to last a lifetime. So I challenge you to remove the filters that water down your message and see the bonds to your customers / supporters become even stronger.

Back when I was a bodybuilder... well.... at least was single, working in a foreign town with hardly any friends and was committed to working out for hours everyday - I was able to discover principles to overcome plateaus.

These rules were: first consistency, second intensity, and thirdly method.

( And now while reflecting on the way I'm running my new company and blog Church Marketing TV - I'm realizing that those same rules could help me in my business.

So here's what it means.

First, unless you are consistent nothing else matters.

If you are not consistently working a plan and making constant effort; a sporadic or one time intense push will do nothing for the big picture. Working an all-nighter two times a year will do nothing if you not working a few hours a day over many months.

If you are not consistently working - it doesn't matter how much education you have, how many techniques you can learn or skills you can acquire. Skills do not equal diligence. No matter how much you learn, you will still have to go through the process of consistent and diligent work.

Second, intensity trumps methodology.

Returning to my bodybuilding days, I would read through fitness magazines and look at various website to see what "new" and "unique" technique I could learn to do things different. People often talk about changing things up with you're not seeing any gains.

But if I were to compare the results of the "latest technique" done moderately vs. doing an old technique with incredible zeal leaving me breathless and sore for days, the intense workout would alway bring more results.

I wrote in a previous post about an eye-opening conversation I had with a professional internet marketer where he suggested that I work like a mad-man for many months in order to really learn. He said that if I would put in a couple hundred hour weeks, I'd learn through experience things you would never understand via books or mentors.

Thirdly comes the method ( or education, skill or technique )

Once you have commitment and follow-through, have increased your intensity - tweaking your method is sure to bring great growth.

So if you're like me, you need to read less blogs, and write more of your own. Schedule and spread your work out so you can go the distance. Stop asking questions and start gaining more experiences.

Good luck!

P.S. If you have other ideas, please share how you overcome plateau and see growth.

"Internet marketing is the only business where you work 20 hour days in order to 'make money while you sleep'".

Wow!

Yesterday (a few months ago now) I heard that statement from a very successful internet marketer. I was blown away. What happened to the rich beach bums, passive income and 4-hour work weeks??

It was a short Skype conversation that I will be forever grateful for. After making that statement - he elaborated a bit by saying if you really want to be successful quickly - work a few 100 hour weeks and you'll be on the right path.

The principle that he was trying to explain was that it will take hard work upfront. And you should not only do it, but do it quickly!

Success will take experiences, trials and failures. But you can squeeze months or years worth of experiences in to a few weeks if you are intensely committed to your goal.

Most of people will constantly think, study, discuss, plan, research... think some more, plan more, investigate more... but never act.

Please don't be like most.