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Photos by Brandon Hill

I know there are lots of bloggers and influencers out there who have hundreds of thousands (some even millions) of Instagram followers, but for me, hitting 10 thousand last week was a big milestone. So for today’s post I thought I’d share with you 10 things that I’ve learned thus far. Even if you’re not a blogger, I feel like these things are applicable to everyone.

1. Patience.

Growing a blog or any business venture takes time. Very few people are lucky enough to become millionaires or CEOs overnight. Know this going in, and I guarantee you that you’ll be happier for it. Keep in mind that every successful person had to start somewhere, and just keep on keepin’ on.

2. The danger of the comparison game.

We’ve all heard this one before: don’t compare yourself to other people. This is something that pretty much everyone struggles with from time to time—and it is always toxic. This will only hold you back from your true potential and make you question or feel bad about yourself. In the blogging world, you are your own brand (learned this from one of my mentors). If all you do is copy other people, then you end up losing the very thing that makes you unique.

3. Hard work pays off.

You can’t expect to reach a goal or really accomplish much of anything if you aren’t putting in the effort and the work. This applies to school, relationships, and careers alike. When I first started blogging it was nothing more than a side hobby and a resume builder. I didn’t experience really any growth and became frustrated at times. When I realized I for sure wanted to pursue this as a career, I started putting in a lot more time and became obsessed with it. This has made a world of difference.

4. If you want something… Go get it.

This kind of goes off of my last point about hard work. Don’t expect someone to give you the secret formula for success because it’s not going to happen. Nearly everything I have learned about blogging has come from an internship (and now job) that I pursued or from webinars and YouTube. There are a million resources out there–use them.

5. Don’t make excuses.

This is another continuation of my last two points. At the end of the day, the only person that is either holding you back or pushing you forward is yourself.

6. When you’re doing what you love, things have a way of working out.

I spent a lot of time worrying and lost a lot of sleep over how I was going to make ends meet after college doing blogging. But here’s the thing: blogging has given me the opportunity to network and meet some amazing, likeminded individuals. This has opened so many doors for me, and has led to all of my freelance side jobs.

7. Time management.

Before I started blogging, I just thought I was a good time manager. Now… I’m a pro. Get a planner and stick to a schedule. Not only does this minimize stress, but it also keeps you the most productive.

8. You make time for the things you love.

I get asked a lot how I am able to juggle two jobs, school, and blogging. This adds to my last point about learning how to manage your time. If you truly love something enough, you will find a way to fit it in your schedule no matter how busy you are. 

9. Set attainable goals.

This point kind of goes back to number 1, and how you can’t expect some giant success to happen to you right away. If you set attainable goals, however, this will encourage you whereas unattainable goals will make you feel less motivated when you don’t achieve them. 

10. The importance of finding yourself.

This is pretty (ok extremely) cheesy, but blogging has helped me learn so much about myself and grow into who I am both as a person, and as an influencer. It has forced me to really hone in on the things that make me, me.

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