Why should I start a blog?

[LifeFirst]

One of the things Steve mentioned in his 30 Days to Success article was to start a blog. I've always curious about blogs. But I just don't understand how it would benefit me to start a blog. I know that my blog is not going to be about Self-Improvement at all if I ever do start one. Because I always wanted to, I just want to know the benefits. For those of you who have blogs, how did it help you in the long run?

[Sunnybayes]

You gain a commitment for being creative. You gain a sense of responsibility for something higher than yourself.

[Minsc]

I think Steve is making $300,000 a year from his... (or maybe more?)

He can also have a lot of people read about/support something if he needs to(ex. the "I can do it" conference).

[ken nubo]

I blogged everyday for the last 3 months because it's fun, informs people and uh ... blogging sounds less girly then writing in a diary.

[Robert Avila]

ken nubo...

I like that...."because it's fun"....that's the best reason....do it because you enjoy it. Along the way you will develop your creativity.....too.

You never know....something you enjoy blogging about can be a huge resource and you will benefit others from your expertise.

Maybe you will be rewarded finanically....and maybe not....however, good things will come your way from your contributions.

[Mark Lapierre]

Consider what a blog is. It's a personal soapbox. It's a public outlet for your ideas and opinions. It's a way of communicating with people you wouldn't otherwise be able to, on your own turf (as opposed to on a forum where you have to play by rules set by others). It's a potential source of income.

Does any of that appeal to you? Ultimately there is no "should." You either want to, or you don't.

My blog hasn't helped me in the long run because I've only been regularly updating it recently.

But in recent months it's helped me to clarify a few of my beliefs and opinions, flesh out a few ideas, and begin a new (albeit long-distance) friendship. It's also shown me a path for further tertiary education that I hadn't considered before. A path which is more appealing than any of the others I'd considered.

[Jenny]

Originally Posted by ken nubo

and uh ... blogging sounds less girly then writing in a diary.

Oh Ken, not so PC but you're right...

[beautyscientist]

Myblog isn't really doing very much at all at the moment, but it has brought some clarity into my thinking which is always helpful.

It is nice to have somewhere to put up your thoughts.

I am intending to go free lance soon and my blog is going to become the nucleus of my on-line presence promoting myself. So I hope it will be very useful in the future.

[Peter S C]

I have found there to be many benefits to blogging. Some of these are:

A sense of achievement: I spend a few hours each day blogging. When people make comments on my site or I can see they have spent considerable time there reading my articles, I feel the time and effort has been worth it.

Increased motivation: my time is limited and I do most of my blogging in the morning. I wake up motivated and with a sense of purpose each day because I feel a sense of responsibility to update my blog and I enjoy doing so.

Growth: having a personal development blog has inspired me to seek out new ideas by reading more. Also, I find that writing helps me clarify ideas that I have read about and relate them to my own life.

I have written more about how I started blogging on my site here.