I love to watch movies, in fact whenever I get the rare chance, I watch more movies than television, but I’m not the kind of buff that rushes to the theatre every time something new comes out. In fact, I often don’t see a movie until it makes it’s way to DVD and even then, I’m never the first in line to purchase or rent from the store. I’m also known to pick up an old movie and watch it as if it’s new. Alot of times it feels as if I’ve never seen the movie as I discover knew themes and learn new lessons now that I have a more mature perspective. Sometimes what I see in those old movies are still relevant to me today.
So if you ever wonder why I’ll pull an old movie out of my hat (like now) and start blogging about it, that’s why.
I just recently viewed Julie & Julia and was so encouraged and inspired by it’s message. It gave me an extra dose of the fuel I continually need to keep on blogging. It reminded me why I blog – that even though success takes time, it is still possible.
I learned that most of the greatest accomplishments made by the people we consider successful, took years. All we see is the current status of their success, we rarely see all the years and effort that went into it. Both of the women in that movie had major obstacles that would have caused the average human to quit.
I think about my own blogging efforts, and there are times when I feel as if my efforts have been in vain and that failure is ever lurking in the shadows for me. It’s a discouraging feeling that instantly saps my energy and makes me want to hit the delete button, crawl back under my rock and disappear.
I’m so glad Julie Powell didn’t give in. I’m glad she ignored the negative feedback that would have caused me to shrink and retreat. She could’ve listened to everyone around her and just stopped blogging or she could’ve listened to her mother and never really started in the first place – and then what? Millions of viewers would’ve lost out on this highly inspiring and motivating book, turned movie.
Maybe I would have quit weeks ago had I not watched her go through some very familiar problems. You wouldn’t be reading this today and perhaps getting a renewed sense of why you need to keep at whatever you’re doing, whether it be blogging, running your business or working toward whatever level of financial freedom you are seeking.
Sometimes doing the unconventional is the only way. It’s easy to get sidetracked and discouraged, and that’s why this movie was such a necessary and much needed example of perseverence. Am I a better blogger because of it.
It may have been the fact that she started blogging at a critical point in time, and it may seem that her level of success is no longer possible now that the blogosphere is so much more crowded now. But, regardless of that seemingly lucky draw of time, she still made her blog stand out. She did it by reaching back to another excellent example of success and gave it a new spin. She enhanced the greatness that was already there. Then she took it a step further and allowed her readers to suspense-fully watch her project unfold. She didn’t actively market it (or at least that wasn’t shown in the movie) yet her readers were hooked and the popularity of blog spread at a viral rate
Although these events took place several years back, a well thought out blog project is still an excellent way to make your blog stand out. Join me tomorrow as I dive in and discuss some of the elements that make an irresistible blog project.
Did you see this movie? What are your thoughts? Do you believe she was just lucky or that there were elements that made her blog stand out?
About Kiesha Easley
Such a great movie- I think she had a great idea and it obviously was successful!
Twitter: dragonblogger
says:
The movie was fantastic and Meryl Streep was great. She was also good in It’s Complicated. I do think this movie and book inspired so many other food bloggers and its success was amazing. However, because the author happened to start the project at the time when blogging was in its infancy (Salon.com really who has a blog there anymore?) the success levels reached by Julia are a thousand times harder to reach when competing against 19 million other bloggers (according to Technorati Estimates) vs tens of thousands back in the very early 2000′s
Justin Germino recently posted..Hands On with FireFox 4 Beta 1
Twitter: weblogbetter
says:
Hi Justin,
I agree that it was a lot easier back then, but I still believe the possibilities exist. Take Brandon Cox, the former owner of this blog for example. I don’t know if you know, but because of his social media influence and blogging experience, he’s landed a Pastorial position alongside Pastor Rick Warren, best-selling author of Purpose Driven Life. So, the possibilities are still infinite.
Yup, blogging takes dedication. I like the analogy. Haven’t seen Julia Childs yet but I heard Streep was nothing short of phenomenal. Maybe i’ll see it in the dollar theater for some blogging inspiration.
My wife “lured” me into watching that movie because it was about a blogger. I went into it reluctantly but in the end I enjoyed it. :)
.-= Kevin M.´s last blog ..Are you obsessed with blog statistics? =-.
I loved the movie and was so inspired by the blogger’s dedication to stick to that ‘something’ that she loved doing. Yes, I’d love to have her success, but the same success is not offered to everyone.
Twitter: weblogbetter
says:
Hi LaVender! Great to see you here.
Yeah, the same success isn’t for everyone – just as blogging isn’t for everyone, but I think a different level of success is available to everyone. The key is to keep at it, despite adversity and obstacles – if you keep trying long enough, something good is bound to happen.
I saw the movie in the movie theater and loved it for the same reasons you did. I enjoy reading the stories of how people got to where they are today. I love the overnight success who spent 15 years playing in dive bars or local plays.
It’s way too easy for us to compare ourselves to everyone else. We all have a different path and we will all go to different places. But if we give up with ever block in the road, we’ll never get there. Sometimes you have to backtrack and take the other path that was laid before you.
I try to not see each of the bumps as failures, but rather as a learning experience so I know what NOT to do next time.
Love your blog, BTW!!!
.-= Michele McGraw´s last blog ..The Seed was Planted Many Years Ago, Only I Didn’t Know It =-.
Twitter: weblogbetter
says:
Hi Michele! Great to see you here. I’m also a firm believer in learning from mistakes – that way, they aren’t failures at all, but experiences that make us stronger. Overnight success is a big myth.
Twitter: AlisonMSmith
says:
One of the interesting things about blogging success, I think, is that most of the hyper-successful blogs seem to have developed a schtick. In other words, they were the first (or one of the first) to use a particular gimmick or hook to get people interested.
I think it’s at least worth thinking about what you can do that is different and interesting.
BTW, I thought Streep was absolutely genius in that movie!
.-= Alison Moore Smith´s last blog ..Thesis 1.7 Upgrade is Here =-.
Twitter: chasedbyadream
says:
Creative criticism is the one most damaging thing that ruins artists. It seems that our efforts are pitted against it, but when a creative soul faces that and triumphs, we all win. That’s the message Kiesha offers in this article. I admire her candor in writing this article – allowing us to a peek into her world. Because when she lays her own fears out there, she lets us see ours. Thank you for writing this, Kiesha.