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Why Do You Blog?

This blog was born in June 2007.

Since then, it has come out every single week without fail.

Because the posts should be timely and relevant, they're generally not written too far in advance. Unfortunately, that sometimes means scrambling to finish them in time – especially when traveling, speaking engagements, or life gets in the way.

But after all these years, writing and producing this blog is too important of a habit to give up. Each time the blog comes precariously close to missing a deadline, I simply remember the last line of almost every chain letter I received as a kid, and that gives me the resolve to write, edit, shoot, and post…

“Do Not Break The Chain!”

When people find out how long the blog has been active, they usually ask the same question:

“Why do you blog?”

Of course, there are lots of reasons:

1. I blog because it forces me to think and organize my thoughts.
2. I blog because I believe I have something to say.
3. I blog to stay top-of-mind with the people I care about.
4. I blog because I get a great response from my audience.
5. I blog because it helped grow my LinkedIn following to 237,000 people.
6. But, most importantly, I blog for the same reason John Lee Hooker used to boogie-woogie: “…it's in him, and it got to come out…”

Without this blog, I'd have to work much harder to market and sell myself for speaking gigs and consulting opportunities. Instead, this weekly missive has proven much more effective than any other promotion. And since most of the writing is done on airplanes between gigs, it doesn't really interfere with time at home or in the office.

Ernest Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

Thomas Mann wrote, “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”

Even 80's pop icon Rick Springfield (Jessie's Girl, Bop ‘Til You Drop) weighed in: “Writing is like having a lover. Sometimes it's wonderful, and sometimes it's a pain in the neck.”

But despite the image of the tortured writer toiling away in their dismal garret, I actually like to sit and write.

If you boil it all down, there is one more simple reason why this blog comes out without fail week after week, month after month, year after year.

I am dedicated to writing this blog because it keeps me in touch with wonderful people like you.

Thank you for being part of my beloved community.