Blog Goals - ProBlogger.netDarren’s got another group writing project happening, and I’m just about to miss the deadline. (Thank heavens he let’s us use local time when determining “end of Thursday.”) This project is on Blog Goals. Well, I run a personal blog and a few professional blogs, and the two types have very different goals. Why don’t I talk about both.

Personal Blog

This is my personal blog. I started it almost three years ago after running into a few other Christian blogs, such as TallSkinnyKiwi, Jonny Baker, and even Darren’s own Living Room blog. So, why blog?

Thinking Out Loud

A blog is a place to think out loud. I’m a writer, and part of that means I process by writing. It helps me to organize, criticize and connect ideas that have been floating around in my head. I’ve kept journals off and one for a number of years, but a blog is just more me. I practically live on line anymore, and a blog gets at the next few goals in a way a journal never can. Blogging is talking to myself… without having everyone looking at me funny.

Community and Connections

When I started reading blogs, I found a resonance that made a difference to me. I found people who were asking the same sort of questions as me. I found people who were pursuing the same goals as me. So, I started blogging as a way to participate in that community and deepen those connections. Every now and then I get an email from someone who has stumbled onto Bald Man Blogging, and found their own encouragement and community. That’s just cool! Blogging is paying it forward.

Memory Bank

My memory has always been a bit scattered and haphazard. It’s good - infuriatingly good at times if you ask my wife - but a bit haphazard. I’d like to blame it all on the kids, but I can’t. So many times I stumble across something, like a quote or a poem, and I just wish I could remember it. Viola! Blogging is digital memory.

Ahead of the Parenting Curve

This one’s a fairly new development. You’ll notice that I’m out here with complete transparency. (No jokes about my pasty Irish skin, please.) My name, my picture, my kids, everything. Needless to say, this has been a point of… let’s say conversation, with my mother-in-law. (Hi, Joey!) She doesn’t like the fact that all this information is out here for the world to see. I chalk some of this up to a generational difference, but not all of it. Here’s my take: This is the 21st Century. Like it or not, life is on-line. Now I figure I can either run from it and be one of those parents on a talk show in 10 years crying about how I never knew what my kids were up to on the computer… or I can keep up and teach my kids how to surf safely. I can teach them how to connect with people around the world (On any given day I’m in contact with amazing people in 8-10 different timezones and 4 different continents.) while keeping an eye out for the creeps. Blogging is parenting in the 21st century.

Professional Blogs

Now for my professional blogs. This is a fairly new world for me. In fact, I’m just coming up on my three month anniversary. First, let me promote myself a bit: I write at the following:

These are my goals:

Augment Income

My name is Cory, and I have debt I’d like to get rid of a little faster if possible. One way is to reduce expenses. Check! The other is to increase income. Blogging is my debt reduction plan… and then hopefully my play-money plan.

Diversity Income

I love my day job. I work for a great company, and I don’t have a real desire to quit until I’m ready to quit for good. That said, there’s something to be said for diversifying one’s income stream. Kerri stays at home with the kids, so all our eggs are in one basket. Blogging is my disaster recovery plan.

Serve Readers

I have a genuine desire to benefit my readers. There are probably some pro-bloggers out there who are all about the Benjamins. I don’t have a problem with that, but it’s not me. I’d like a few Benjamins (or at least the odd Jackson), but I want to make a positive contribution in the lives of my readers. Even on my “fluff” blogs that cover television shows. I appreciate celebrity interest, but there are lines I won’t cross. It’ll probably cost me traffic… but I’m okay with that. Blogging is my way to serve.

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