How would you live your life differently if you had one month to live?
It’s a question I was asked recently and while it’s one we’ve all heard before I think it’s something well worth pondering at different times. I also like to apply it to different areas of my life – like blogging….
If you had only one month left before you had to stop doing it or making money from it – how would that impact your blogging?
- how would it impact the topics that you wrote about?
- how would it impact the way you approached monetization?
- how would it impact the calls to action you gave your readers?
- how would it impact the passion and focus that it brought to your blogging?
I think I’d probably approach blogging a little differently if I were in my last month:
- I’d probably do so with more focus in the topics I wrote about
- I’d be thinking about the legacy I wanted to leave with my blog
- I’d be more innovative in how I monetize it
- I’d be focusing more upon the relationships I had with my readers
I’m sure it’d impact my blogging in other ways too.
The 2nd question of course that we need to ask ourselves is – why are we not blogging this way now?
How would you approach your last month of blogging?
Dear Darren,
Interesting standpoint. If I had only a month left to blog with, I would probably end up thinking about all the things I’d have left behind. I would probably start updating it on a more regular basis, primarily because I’d know that I wouldn’t have much time.
There would be so much to share, and with so little time to do things; to a point where I would probably just spend days upon days on end just sitting in front of the computer without much sleep.
I wonder in such a case though; if death would come through the month, or through the point of being sleep-deprived first.
This was a very thought-provoking post, despite the simplicity of the question.
Only 1 month left? I’d really worry about what happens to to the blog’s content. The URL will expire and the hosting provider will delete the blog’s database. The content of the blog will be lost for future generations.
If I had 1 month left, then I’d probably do the following:
1. Make a nicely formatted e-book containing the blog posts
2. Give the e-book a creative commons license or put it under public domain (this works only for non-guest posts, for which I have the copyright)
3. Send the e-book to other blog publishers (who publish on related topics) and ask them to provide the book for free download and distribution. This way the content will still be available to humanity. Maybe there are hosting sites that store legacy blogs and e-books? Maybe Google Docs is a possibility?
Darren: do you have any recommendations?
It’s not something that many of us like to think about, but in many cases we don’t even know how much time we have left… Maybe it’s a good idea if some relatives also have the password to access the blog’s CMS to take control of the content, in case the unexpected happens.
Is a stressful thought. I think I would enjoy life.
Then Darren’s post would be “31 Days Live A Better Life”
G’Day Darren,
When i”m writing about Staff Selection, I tell clients never to ask the candidate a question starting with “What would you do if……” such questions invite speculation and unfounded opinion. This isn’t much use when selecting staff.
As this isn’t a staff selection interview……..
I guess I’d continue to do what I’m currently doing if it’s working OK. If it wasn’t working OK, I should’ve stopped doing it anyway.
If you believe that what you’re doing is worthy, why change? Do you stop trying because you’re 10 goals behind the Mighty Bombers when time on starts?
And whatever you do, make sure you have fun.
Regards
Leon
Darren,
When you start your next collection of best posts, I think this one should be on the front page. It has a twist on the familiar and packs an impact in a few words. It is an example of blogging at its best.
Thanks for starting my day with inspiration and a call to action. Mary
Good question, but it leaves us all in a very complicated situation. It would be kind or scary to know you only have one more month left to do business through your business blog. But if that is the case, then supposing that happens to me, I think I would try anything to build business relationships, the kind of connections that would not be lost after the opportunity to blog is over. I guess this is why I consider building business relationships to be one of the main advantages of business blogging.
I’d summarize everything and spend the time making sure everything is working and easy to get to for the readers that follow.
This is an excellent question and, although I have heard it many times before, it really made me think in terms of how I blog and the subjects I blog about.
I have been going through a refocusing phase with my blog and this thought of having only one month left certainly helps put it back into perspective!
Reflecting on your last 30 days of blogging should also make you reflect on your life in general.
And in both cases if you don’t like what you see then do something about changing it. That may seem easier said than done but every great journey is started with just one small step!
I suppose for all any of us know, it could be our last month blogging! So all the more reason to make sure each and every post is valuable and worthwhile.
Interesting question!
I had a bit of a health scare a few months ago, so I know where you’re coming from – although the question isn’t “if you only had a month to live”.
I would be even more outrageous than I already am and let my true personality really roar out! :-)
And I would be writing a series of posts on how to get rich or retire, since that’s what I want my readers to come away with after they read my blog.
Great question. And – as with blogging – so for life, right?
Leave a legacy.
Make a difference.
Create smiles.
Build connections – with others – and help others connect with each other.
Enchant and be enchanted.
Follow your values and your heart.
Breathe.
Leaving a legacy behind is the most important part I think. I would answer less dating questions and write more posts on things more general to dating that can apply to everyone rather than specific individuals who ask the questions.
Assuming an opportunity to break through the 30 day barrier, that is a question that leads to other big, big, big questions.
It’s one of those look at the reflection in the mirror and ask, “Do I believe in what I’m doing? Can it work? How do I make it work?”, moments.
If “Yes!’ (with the exclamation point) is the answer to the first two questions, the answer to the third (the simplified version) is 30 days of action.
Can I have an extra day?
’31 Days to Build a Better Blog’ leaves me one day short.
This question stresses me out a bit. I write blogfiction, and my character presently sits under several weights of impending doom. If I had only one month left to blog, I would need to get to some sort of conclusion. I could cheat, and make my character end it all quickly by walking into the ocean and never return, or, I could figure out a way to settle each issue. I’m not sure I could do that in one month.
I like what Pierre said, a few comments up the list: ‘Stop being timid.’ What a great lesson to pull from this post. I tend to hold back in my story. Many planned issues have been tossed, because I’ve been timid. This is likely the same reason my story has a backlog of unresolved issues.
Great Question… My Life is simple (but complex!)
1) Faith
2) Family
3) Friends
4) Fitness
5) Finances…
So If I take your question seriously, and I had one month left I would NOT blog again… I would spend quiet time/prayer/meditation with my Creator (Faith), and the rest of the time would be spent with my wife/kids/family/friends…
LOVE the question! Best, Brian-
If I had one month to live I agree with some folks I would not be blogging. At least not about my current topics. So that raises another question. Why am I doing it now?
I think as long as it all fits into your overall purpose, then that’s what you’re supposed to be doing.
Thanks!
Brad
I think if that would happen, I’d overdeliver like hell and would not hold back on information I could share. I’d also make sure that my content would still be useful long after I’m done blogging.
If I had 30 days left to blog, I would say anything I wanted to say to whom I wanted to say it when I wanted to say it. It wouldn’t be offensive; it would just be overly bold. I’m holding back a little bit now, but a new burst of courage would come forth.
I am new to blogging but it seems to me that it would definitly impact my passion and focus for creating a legacy to leave with my blog as my mark on the world.
As for question number 2 it is a very good point to begin with about proffesional blogging, do it right the first time.
Marcie, what’s holding you back now? Maybe the voice that you would use in this hypothetical situation is the voice you really should be using!
This is really a tough question. I will probably spend the whole 24hrs of the day for the month on the Internet. There are many topic ideas that I have for my blogs, but have been unable to put myself together to writing them because of other commitments.
I also have several plans to market by blogs, but have not really been implementing them. So I’ll be devoting my time in the month to these.
You know what Darren? With this question, you have just given me the push to do more on my blogs and websites, indeed my Internet business than I’ve been doing by giving it more time, assuming I have just 30 days to show result.
Thanks, thanks, man!
Sounds petty, but I’d double check every single post for typos – so my words wouldn’t spend eternity with insecurity issues.
Great post – it has me driving down all sorts of mental avenues. Thanks!
Great question! For me, blogging is a way of getting my life-message out there, so I would certainly still be blogging if I had a month to live.
My blogging has sometimes been like a meandering stream, creative ebbs and flows around a series of topics. But I’m going to take your question and chew over it, because there’s no doubt that I would be forced to focus on the MOST IMPORTANT message that I carry. And the answer to that might surprise even me!
Thanks for the challenge :-)
Good. It’s the same here in Australia. Can be extremely annoying, but that’s how it is in this day and age.