StevieSue.com

I have been blogging for a year and it has been a roller coaster ride. I began with a less than enthusiastic attitude because I was not sure about the process and there were tough decisions and commitments to make.  But now I am so happy that I tackled the learning curve because starting the blog helped me find my personal brand and gave me a reason to learn more about internet technology. Now as my first year of blogging comes to a close I have my arms up and I am screaming and laughing down the roller coaster’s big hill! It has been a worthwhile endeavor.

Blogging does not have to be a huge time commitment either. Heck, you can even use Twitter.com for micro blogging to begin building an online presence in a little by little kind of way that will add up after a few months (btw, I would be honored if you follow me on Twitter).

Examples of easy and popular software used for creating blogs include WordPress.com, Blogger.com, and TypePad.com. WordPress and Blogger offer ways to get started in blogging for free with just a couple of clicks. Blogger is an easy way for a non-techie person to get started within minutes. WordPress has more options that may be needed as a blogger becomes more experienced. It also offers excellent search engine optimization but it has a slower learning curve for the inexperienced.

An easy way to have your blog hosted on a domain name of your choice is to go with a hosting company that includes blog set up. I can highly recommend my hosting company www.hostmysite.com where you can set up a dedicated domain name for your blog for $45 per year. They have excellent customer service and you should feel free to call them with even the most basic questions about your new blog.

I’m probably preaching to the choir here, but blogging really is a cutting-edge way of being involved in your industry and providing proof of knowledge and technology savvy. The best thing that happens when you start blogging is that whole new relevant and deep discussions take place and new networking relationships and industry connections are made.

I’m happy to announce the release my little career movie at MondayMorningMovie.com. Please check it out and spread the word if you like. I hope you find it inspirational. It is also a marketing tool for me. I am preparing to launch a membershipsite for people looking for career inspiration and motivation…it is called Careerillionaire.com. Thanks for your consideration, I really appreciate it.

We have all heard the statistics about setting goals. Those who write their goals down are more likely to reach them. For me, writing down main goals in several categories on an annual basis is the best way to go. I use the time around my birthday each year to inventory which goals were achieved and which were not, as well as to set goals for the next year. I pick the most important ones to me and break them down to smaller steps to be accomplished each month or quarter along the way to my next birthday.

Goal setting is a very personal thing, though. We all have to take time to learn what works best for us and stick to that. If a technique sounds good to you, try it for a month or so. Check your motivation and results at the end of the month to determine if that system is a keeper for you. Finding what works best is simply a trial and error exercise. The important thing is to keep trying.

When there is a goal you do not reach on a given year or time period that you established, it is time to reassess whether it’s important enough to keep it on the list for the next year. If it is important to you still, no harm done, you just guessed wrong about when you could get it accomplished. So put it on the list again and spend time reviewing the reasons why it is important to you still. Then try again. If the goal is no longer relevant or important to you then let it go without worrying about it any further. Turns out that goal was just not important in the grander scheme of things.

Living in the moment and being fully present is also an important idea to remember when goal setting. Sometimes it can be easy to be distracted with anticipating a future goal or accomplishment that must be achieved before you can move on. But, there is no need to be unhappy seeking a time in the future when all is accomplished. Even though it is important to outline goals and work towards accomplishments, it is also imperative to learn to enjoy the process!

I am movin’ and groovin’ on my infopreneurial websites this week. Yes! Got Google AdWord campaign set up. My goal is to get a mailing list built so that I can be ready for a successful launch.

Most of the steps are simple. I usually spend a bit of time intimidated and worrying about messing something up. But once I take action, it is often surprising how easy it is…just one little step at a time…that is key.

With each tiny accomplishment, my confidence and understanding of the technology grows exponentially. It does seem to take a leap of faith at each point though. It also takes a bit of persistence and patience because invariably there are little problems that have to be worked out along the way. With experience, I am learning to refrain from making the problems bigger than they really are and to find a workaround when possible.

When I started my blog I felt the need to combine two ideas that, at first glance, are not connected at all - being an infopreneur and being a careerillionaire (especially since I played a part in making this one up). Actually the two ideas are connected inside me though since an infopreneurial component is part of how I am attaining my careerillionaire status. And I that is really what I want this blog to be about…inspiring others to the careerillionaire lifestyle of customizing their career in a way that encourages their own thriving (aka optimal growth & development).

Sure choosing a career and the world of work on a day-to-day basis is often much more practical than that. And of course, survival needs must be met first. But once a person has gained confidence in their own money making ability they will often begin to assess their comfort and happiness level in the opportunity they have landed. When they decide they want to strive for more, the quest begins.

I tend to jump in with both feet when my intuition sends me a shiver but it occasionally takes me a while to figure out the why or the how.

Last year I was determined to finally build a web presence and launch my internet business. First, in February I read an article in Business 2.0 that pointed me towards MemberGate. I just knew MemberGate was the solution I was looking for to turn my book into a website (please tell them Stevie Puckett sent you). Next, I got an offer to get two SBI sites at a special price and I jumped in. Then I started my WordPress blog and was off and running on that too…all this in addition to my teaching, consulting, and parenting responsibilities, mind you. WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Well, now it is about to all pay off! My plate is mostly clear to give my infopreneurial endeavors much more focus for the next few months and really give it a go…and today, to top it all off, I had a breakthrough that revealed a clear cut plan of action. I love it!

You see, I could not resolve how to use my SBI site. I was pouring through the excellent set up information and training instructions and thought I had a wonderful idea but just could not see how to implement it. It was getting very frustrating because I knew it should not be so difficult. I was considering not renewing the site this year.

In one last ditch effort, I decided to use the SBI Consultant Program offered through Keen.com. I spoke with SBIExpertErik who in 15 minutes helped me realize what SBI is really best at…lead generation. Well, this fits in perfectly with my MemberGate plans and it fills a gaping hole that I had not addressed well.

I will let you know how it goes but now I’m off to build the content for my SBI site, thinkcareerdevelopment.com. It will serve as my free content and lead generator on the topic of career development with two primary goals 1) to give back a little, and 2) to funnel leads over to a membership site for people who want more.

So I was going strong last month, feeling at the height of my creativity and productivity. I love it when that happens! But, like most things, creativity goes in cycles. I’m trying to learn to embrace noncreative times with the idea that if I do maybe I’ll come out of it quicker. After all, those are times that are meant for rejuvenation which is so important to keep from burning out. So I’ve lounged around a bit more than I’m comfortable with and I’ve had a lot of fun watching some footfall and being a vegetable.

I think I’m starting to come out of it now with the help of a friend who reminded me of something important on Friday… just try to complete one thing a day. I’ve learned this before but I’d forgotten how effective it can be. When things are moving slowly just a tiny step forward each day really adds up fast.

So, today I charged into my office with the intent of just updating my coming soon page for my website. Before I knew it, I had my free article completed and added to my autoresponder in addition to having my coming soon page updated. I had forgotten how close I was to having these things done.

The process for me and has been quite a challenge. I had to figure out what kind of website I wanted, which way to build it, including the content management program I wanted to use; and I had to learn how to manage that software, then how to FTP, then about getting an autoresponder to work right and on and on and on.

Most importantly, I just wanted to share with you that if you have an idea you want to pursue, just keep making small steps and things well unfold nicely for you too I’m sure. The process is very fun and it’s interesting to see how pieces start coming together when the time is right.

I had a great idea for a book back in 2003. I really thought I would have it published or out of my system by now! Turns out the idea has evolved to a website over the years. I don’t know why I didn’t pursue the website idea more after reading Robert Allen’s book the first time in 2004. Reviewing his book now, it is all right there in front of me. I had to go through my own process though, and the process has been fun if a little frustrating. The best part is that I am so thrilled about the pending end result.

That is the thing about sparks of intuition. If you decide to follow-up and take action, it is good to be open to new turns and twists on the original idea. That is probably why my process took so long. I only saw one path from the original idea for quite a while and I also lacked the confidence to go for it in a real way. But the idea was still there on the edge of my consciousness so to me that is a sign to keep moving towards it even if at a snail’s pace.

Hello world indeed! It took me a while but I’m finally up and running. I thought about having a blog for many years but I’ve never taken the time to set it up. I did take the time to research what having a blog entails and such so now that the time is right, I got it going pretty fast. It was not super easy though. I had to hang in with a little persistence and push through some learning curve frustration.

I must say the smartest thing I did was find a very excellent and helpful host for my blog site. I can highly recommend Host My Site. They patiently answered all my questions and kindly educated me about getting WordPress setup on my own domain name and how to FTP a theme. Just tell them Stevie Puckett sent you.

For the past four or five years I was using 1&1. During that time I had not managed to get one site up and running of any sort…nothing I can be proud of anyway. I didn’t change hosts sooner because I’m very loyal, and, well, I’m an INFJ who likes to make a decision then stick with it even if I’m going 100 miles an hour in the wrong direction. Anyway, each time I called 1&1 there was usually a very long hold and I often had difficulty understanding the English of the person who did pick up on the other line. The kicker though was when a technician put me on hold this week saying he was going to set up my WordPress blog for me and 30 minutes later he had not returned to the line. I picked up my cell phone and called tech support on that line while I still had them on my home line and I tattled big time. The thing is the exact same thing happened to me about three months ago, he put me on hold a very long time and I called in on my cell phone. That technician could never be convinced to pick up the line though and someone else had to help me. This week at least the guy got back on the line, gave me a lame excuse that he was still working on my problem and apologized for the hold. He said he would have my WordPress blog loaded within an hour and when I hung up he e-mailed me it was already done after only two minutes. So, I don’t recommend 1&1 unless you already know what you are doing…in that case I think they are about the most cost effective around.

So, anywho, I’m so happy to be here! I really look forward to throwing my ideas out there and sharing info about the things I’m developing and the direction I’m going with infopreneuring. Becoming an infopreneur is really my focus and I would love to have a dialog with others who are on the same path.