How I Got Back My Mojo
How I Got Back My Mojo
Lately, my content on this blog has sucked donkey balls. By “me” I mean Brian. I have a flash of genius here, an epiphany there, but they’re spread few and far between like iPhones with full bars. In my best Austin Powers accent: “I lost my mojo, man” I lost my fire for blogging. I’ve been more interested in talking with entrepreneurs on a one to one level than in killing neurons in my readers’ heads. When you stop retweeting your own blog posts, deep down, you know your substance is tanking. My shit was going down like the Titanic.
For the past handful of posts, I couldn’t think of a single interesting thing to say. The problem is, you readers aren’t content with just seeing my gorgeous mug. You actually want substantial content! I was Lady Gaga, minus the musical genius. I thought about video blogging, but obviously, I’d get too many stalkers. That and I’m so pale you’d think they’re filming the fourth installment of Twilight in my bedroom. So how did I lose my mojo? I forgot the Foreplay.
Foreplay = Fun\
All jokes aside, the problem was that my paradigm had shifted. I’d become a slave to the blog. Some days, I would work my balls off and then have to sit down and come up with something impressive to say. That didn’t go well. Usually, I’m off the cuff with some dashes of fun and pinches of wit. I like to sprinkle it around like ruffees at a frat party. Recently, I’ve been dry and dull. I had stopped the foreplay. I had forgotten that, as the ladies say, the foreplay is the best part. The trick is to adopt a new perspective to make writing fun again. To do that, you have to ask yourself the right questions.
Ask The Right Questions
I finally came alive Wednesday night when reading my gf’s blog titles. They were hilarious and outright ridiculous. Best of all, they had a point. I thought to myself, “Damn it, I’m hilarious and ridiculous…” People laugh at me all the time when I’m dancing, and that’s before I bust out the Elaine Kick. I realized I had been taking the wrong approach. Writing was becoming a chore because that’s how I viewed it. I needed a way to make it fun again. I exercise 5 times a week and at the end of each week, I add new songs to my playlist. That livens up the following week’s workouts. I forgot to ask myself the right question: “How can I contribute great blog posts and do so in a way where I have tons of fun?”
Positive Presuppositions
If you cleverly caught that I presupposed “great blog posts” in that last sentence then go out an buy yourself a high-carb treat. Don’t worry, the guilt’s on me - you just enjoy. Positive presuppositions are the secret. Self-help guru Tony Robbins will tell you to ask yourself the right questions and let your brain come up with the answers. That little voice in your head needs to start using positive presuppositions. I used to ask, “How can I make my five workouts a week more enjoyable.” I got an answer. Now I’m asking about enjoyable blogging. I’m already coming up with a list:
- Showcase more personality
- Use more humor so it’s fun to write
- Pick a fight
- Get inspiration by talking with others
- Get ahead of the blog so I don’t feel pressured to write something decent in a short amount of time
- Photoshop some of my own pics for posts headers
The Bottom Line
Your mind is a powerful thing. No matter what you ask it, it will come up with an answer. From good answers to “I don’t know” to something totally crazy and illogical. Ever go to bed with a problem on your mind and wake up with the answer? Ever have an “Ah Ha” moment while you were doing something completely mundane? That’s your brain fool! And it’s putting in overtime no matter how many tequila shots you took!
Since it’s always running in the background, take advantage of it. Ask yourself questions with positive presuppositions. Frame your questions in a positive and insightful manner. How you talk to yourself gives you the chops to persevere or the excuses to give up. Be good to yourself. Instead of asking, “Why did I read this terrible blog post when I’m already tired?” ask, “How can I pass this blog’s insanely insightful message onto my friends in a fun way?”
-Brian
If you made it this far, you should follow me on Twitter. Follow @jprichardson
-JP