I’m practicing Bikram yoga again.
Every time, it’s the same 26 postures.
Yet every class is different.
Let’s be clear: most classes (every), I struggle.
Yet, each time I learn something new.
About a posture.
About my body.
About my mind.
It’s uncomfortable as I do it.
But afterward, I always feel better.
And I’m really starting to feel the results.
It’s a lot like content marketing.
It’s the same story you’re telling, consistently, over time.
From different *postures*. (Perspectives and angles.)
Some days (most) it’s a struggle to create.
Yet, as you practice telling the story, you get better at telling it.
Each time, you learn something new.
About chasing perfection. (There’s no such thing.)
About what works.
About improving your craft.
The feedback you receive (or don’t) can be brutal but invaluable.
You’ll learn what you need to work on by listening.
(Which you must implement to improve.)
Then you’ll really start to see the results.
With either practice, it’s about making progress.
How to make progress with your content marketing practice
As you continue your work in this field, keep the following in mind.
1. Give yourself room to breathe.
In Bikram, breathing keeps you from feeling overwhelmed. Breathing allows you to make it through class.
If you’re always head down, churning out content, there’s no time to reap the benefits of the work you’ve put in.
When you give yourself time to rest and reflect, you allow yourself to process and gain from your efforts.
When you give yourself room to breathe, you can focus on quality, value, and creativity.
You’ll resist the temptation, and sometimes encouragement, to churn out content that doesn’t live up to the standards you’re trying to achieve and maintain.
Breathe so you can give your audience what they expect and deserve from you.
2. Do your best at the moment.
Some days you make it through all the postures. Some days you don’t. In either case, there’s always another class.
Some days you’ll feel great about what you’re creating. Other days, you won’t. You may feel discouraged. It’s okay. Don’t let that stop you. Don’t wait around for inspiration. (But make the most of when it comes.)
Stay focused on the audience you’re trying to reach.
Stay focused on making them more successful.
Even if you’re not as satisfied with what you’ve accomplished, if you can help just one person, you’ve done your job. Those small victories start to add up over time. All you can do is give the best information you can at that moment. And continue to practice. You created something. That’s the important thing.
3. Stay in the room.
Even if you have to sit the whole time, by staying in the room, keeping your focus, and mentally following along with the class you’re still practicing and receiving the benefit of Bikram.
Show up. Stay engaged in your process. Focus. Create.
The work is in the doing.
Do the work.
Remember it’s a practice. Progress, not perfection.
Breathe.
Do your best.
Show up.
Each day is an opportunity to improve. A chance to add something meaningful to the world. A chance to grow.
But only you can get yourself into the right mindset.
The mindset to make progress.
I know you can do it.
Great reminder Dave! Thanks so much.
Thanks for stopping by, Melinda.