8 Ways to Take Your Blog Full-Time

We all start blogs for different reasons - to have a creative space that's just our own, to share knowledge about something we're passionate about, to have a hobby. Most of us don't start saying "I want THIS website to be my full-time job. I want to make a living off of this website." And if you are starting like that, you're likely setting yourself up for having a really difficult time getting anywhere with a side of insincerity. #realtalk but starting anything for the right reasons is important!
Today more than ever, unconventional jobs are everywhere. They may not seem unconventional to us, but compared to 10 years ago, running a full-time blog can seem off the beaten path to some. But if it's your passion, whose to say it isn't right? Our blogs usually start off as our beloved side hustles, but what does it take to turn that into what you focus on and pour your love, heart and soul into 24/7? A hell of a lot of work, but it's possible. Take your passion to the next level; here's 7 things you *need* to do and know before going full time with your blog:

1. Do your research and make LOTS of spreadsheets

If you're going to pursue your passion full-time, that effectively means you're your own boss and means you'll be leaving your main source of income elsewhere. It's SO important to take the time and research if it's a feasible, workable concept. Crunch some numbers (AKA figure out how much you owe Nordstrom each month! ;) and know exactly what you need to do to grow your business and stay afloat - and beyond - month after month. That's where the spreadsheets come in - I do not know what I wold do without my folder of spreadsheets. Keep track of your income, have a sheet for accounts receivable and know where your money is coming from, how much is coming and anything else you can possibly think of.

2. Get comfortable, knowledgeable and passionate.

Before turning full-time, you have to decide just how much you love what you do. A huge part of being able to do this 24/7 is loving it, eating it and breathing it. It shouldn't always feel like work when it's something you love, and that's so crucial for a job that requires you to make all of the decisions. You have to be smart about this decision (going full-time) and know exactly what it's going to require. (This is where my love for spreadsheets comes in again! LOL) The more passionate you are, the harder you'll want to work and the sooner your goals will turn into your reality.

3. Have a business plan and a personal plan

This is one thing I wish I had from the get-go, but am so happy I have now. Take the time to write out a business plan and a personal plan, both of which will help you grow in the long run and stick to your goals, aspirations and keep you on track. More than anything, plan for what's to come. Plan for your first self-employed tax year, figure out if you need to hire out for anything (i.e. a virtual assistant, a designer, an SEO junkie, etc.) and learn the ins and outs of your industry.

When it's written out and visual on paper to you, you can see what you're missing and how to manage what you're taking on. You'll have a great idea of what you need to do, the time you'll need to do it in and most importantly, if and how it's actually possible to fulfill your dream and feed your passion.

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4. Set realistic, but substantial, goals

Is it important to set goals you can actually meet? Most DEFINITELY. Is it important to set significant, more lofty goals? Without a DOUBT! You never (obviously) want to set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals, such as making a ridiculous amount of money or gaining an outrage number of readers in a short amount of time; but challenging yourself is one of the best ways to grow your business and grow in every personal way possible. It makes you work harder and it's really freakin' exciting when you meet a goal you never knew - or thought - was possible before.

5. Learn to diversify your income

AND what the best ways for your business are. There's hundreds of ways to maximize what you make based on your niche/industry and it also is super important because you aren't putting all of your eggs in one basket, AKA making sure you don't fall on your ass at any given time. Some of the main income streams for bloggers include:

• advertisements 
• affiliate marketing 
• sponsored content 
• your own product(s) - digital or physical 
• offering services 

Obviously these aren't the only options, but they're usually most common. The sooner you diversify your income based on whatever is a good fit for you, the sooner you'll be raking in the results you strive for.

6. Be willing to put in the work it takes

Girlfriend, let's get real - it is NOT easy to 1. be your own boss 2. stay motivated to hustle 24/7 and 3. not get discouraged. It's easier said than done and it's a huge learning curve, but when you figure out what sort of schedule works for you, it is much more achievable. Know from day one that it's no walk in the park - it's arguably much harder to be self employed and have to hustle at all hours, but it is worth every. single. second.

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7. Focus on constant growth techniques

When you're your own boss, everything is in your hands and happens on your time. You decide what happens, when it happens and how it happens. You *need* to always be trying to grow and expand, no matter how you plan to do so. Whether you set yearly growth goals or take it monthly, make a goal(s), right them down and figure out exactly how you can get there.

8. Understand that quality matters more than quantity

This goes beyond blogging! Quality over quantity, all day every day. When you're working for yourself and are running your blog, you know that there's so much to do on any given day. That's 1001% why I try to never rush to put up a post. My blogging schedule is typically Monday/Wednesday/Friday, but if I had a super busy weekend and first half of the week and can't get my act together (this happens waaaay more than I'd like to admit...) I try my best not to rush to get SOMETHING up on a Wednesday just because that's what's in the schedule. I do believe sticking to a schedule, but I totally believe in being proud of the quality of your work, so I find that this is a helpful rule of thumb.

Most importantly, love what you do and do what you love. That's always been my goal, and doing something all day every day that I L O V E so much is a dream. Hustle hard, make plans and do what you gotta do to make it happen. It's SO worth it.
XOXO -A