I just wanted to share one of my all-time favorite posts on blogging.

Written by Michael Hyatt, the post is titled:

4 Insights I Gleaned from Building My Own Platform

I think I go back to it, nearly quarterly, for no other reason than it gives me hope.

What are the 4 insights?

1. It takes longer than you think.
2. You will probably hit an inflection point, eventually.
3. Having a platform gives you a microphone you probably never thought possible.
4. It is easier the second time around.

Refer to the first two points as needed.

But read it for yourself – from someone who is probably beyond where you dream of one-day being.

Ok, these days everybody says they want a platform.

We want a voice, right? We want to be heard.

Strangely though, nearly everyone that excels in this world of online publishing has something in common.

They have a theme.

I mean – can you imagine Jeff Goins next post being:

7 Ways To Field Dress A Deer

Or, what if Copyblogger published a series:

9 Reasons Fiscal Policy Does Not Work

The point is obvious: You need a theme.

And you need to stick to your theme.

Even though this website is a personal one, I try to limit everything to 4 simple categories.

• Books
• 5 Things I Learned Reading
• Book Quote
• Potpourri

And truth be told – I probably let Potpourri wonder more than I should.

If you are a hobby blogger, you can get away with the occasional post that strays from your primary message or brand. But if you are trying to build a platform, you need to find an editorial focus and stick to it. A tighter focus leads to higher traffic. This is why I have tried to narrow my own focus to four areas: leadership, productivity, social media, and publishing. If I want to write on something else (e.g., fitness), I do so through one of these four lenses.

–Michael Hyatt, Platform