Should you use gut instinct for your blogging business?

I love road trips.

I did tons of them in my 20’s and 30’s (I’m mid-40’s now).

I used to do a ton of them because I hated flying. I also didn’t have money to fly. Gas was cheap then. My tiny Honda Civic cost only $10 to fill up which would spit me down the road another 400 miles.

I’d much rather zip all over North America in my car for days at a time than fly.

And zip around North America I did.

One of my favorite parts of a road trip were the stops at a gas station in the middle of nowhere.

You know those interstate towns with a few chain hotels with an equal number of gas stations.

I’d fill up, grab coffee and snacks, take a break, then either head back out on the road or if late at night dive into the cheapest hotel.

Those 2 to 5 days on the road were a big break from life. No demands or problems. A brief suspension of reality.

Road trips for me are definitely a case of appreciating the journey as much as reaching the destination.

I’m happy to say that’s what blogging and content publishing has been and is for me as well.

I look back fondly over my early years in this business. Same with recent years.

It wasn’t as stress-free as the open road, but I sure enjoyed the process. I continue enjoying the process.

I’m still driving.

I haven’t reached my destination.

I never will.

I’m good with that. In fact, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s like model railroad or LEGO hobbies. You just keep building and improving.

When I work I fall into flow… most days. It’s relaxing.

My heart rate beats per minute drops (unless something bad happens like a site crashing).

I zone out into the work.

It’s relaxing.

Just like driving for hours on an open road with nothing but fields, desert, ocean, mountains or forest.

That’s definitely a sign I’m in the right line of work.

I’ve seldom had periods of indecision. Indecision is stressful.

I usually have a gut instinct as to what I should do.

I go with my gut.

More often than not, my gut is right. Not always, but frequently enough.

I loathe indecision.

That’s another reason road trips are so relaxing. There are few decisions that need making. Just follow the map and drive.

Are you enjoying the blogging process?

Or are you plagued by indecision resulting in doing nothing and stress?

You have two choices.

1. Stop second-guessing and just do something. Go with your gut, OR

2. Get out of this line of work.

If this work isn’t enjoyable, don’t do it.

If you’re going to put in the insane amount of time it takes to build up a content publishing business, you need to enjoy it.

Otherwise, there are many better ways to spend your time.

There are many different online approaches and business models out there you can pursue.

This (online content publishing) is one of many.

You will make mistakes. I make them all the time. The good decisions make up for the bad.

If you make no decisions, you’ll get nowhere.

Stop agonizing over minute details such as whether two topics should be one or separate articles. The stress and time wasted on deliberating isn’t worth it.

Go with your gut and pick one.

Perhaps the next time you’re faced with the same dilemma, try the other route.

See what worked.

All the courses and studying this business won’t help you navigate each situation because each situation is different.

Yes, it helps to learn the fundamentals and a particular approach but eventually, you just have to do it.

It’s like learning to drive.

You need to be taught the rules of the road and get some pointers on navigating a vehicle.

But ultimately all the training and reading about how to drive a car is not going to help in every situation.

Because every situation you face on the road is unique.

You will have to make your own decision and deal with the situation quickly.

If you are indecisive a car accident is more likely.

Like car accidents, problems will arise blogging.

Car accidents can and do happen even if you are indecisive.

But that doesn’t mean you don’t try to avoid them.

Same with a business. Just because bankruptcies and big problems arise doesn’t mean you don’t try.

And trying requires decisive action.

Often your gut is right.

Go with your gut.