Why You Keep Getting Picked Last

You probably figure that being picked last stopped with high school gym class but it is happening all the time online. Well, at least I keep hearing people lamenting that they are not part of this or that and because they are not then there are cliques and that is ‘unfair’. What do you think, is it unfair that your blog isn’t more well read or companies aren’t beating down your door?
I am no A-List Blogger

 

Oh Irony, you strike again. You just can’t take yourself so seriously.

You are not going to see my name on any top 100 bloggers list anytime soon. Someday maybe but not
soon. I made my business card tagline “I’m Not A Famous Blogger” and even went so far as to buy the url. I recognized that I wasn’t at the level of the people that I admired and often times was jealous of. So, partly out of cynicism and partly as tongue in cheek self depreciating humor I became an unfamous blogger. What do you think happened?

How the heck did I go from complete unknown to an “oh yeah, I’ve heard of that guy?”
No, I’m not famous but I am more well known and I’m even being picked for big things. Being picked for one opportunity gave me a huge boost and that wouldn’t never have happened if I wasn’t listening to what someone else needed.

Ask yourself these few questions?
Who did I help today?
Who did I promote today?
Who mattered to me today?
What did I complain about today?
If you answered “myself” to more than one on that list then you will continue to be picked last. If you are not well known then get out there in front of people by helping them. Write a few great posts, really take the time to work on them and then give them away. Give them to people with up and coming blogs and those who have established blogs. If you give your best away then the best will come back to you. If you keep all the best for yourself then you are the only person who will have it and most likely you will be the only person who reads it or cares about it.
You can scream from the rafters for people to come and read your blog (promote yourself) till you are blue in the face but will be left all by yourself shouting into the gaping void whilst mixing your metaphors. But if you take the time to follow a few bloggers each day and you promote their work (as long as it is worth promoting) then people will see you as someone who shares good and useful information. The more you share good info the more people will be willing to hear what you have to share. Start by promoting others more than you promote yourself. Keep doing this.
Did you worry about how many people were following you on twitter or how many subscribers you had today? Or rather did you write for the people who are already in your corner and give them the best you had? Did you work to improve your community by recommending a friend or spotlighting a member of your community? Are you taking the time to go and respond to the comments that people leave you? Are you truly engaging your audience.
Do you know what I did with I’m Not A Famous Blogger? I used it as a site to do in depth interviews with bloggers to promote them and their blogs. I began picking other people first and in turn I don’t get picked last anymore.
Oh and that last question about complaining, trick question. Complaining about being picked last will get you nowhere and it shouldn’t. Be positive and embrace positivity no matter how long it takes.