If I hear one more “expert” tell me social media is a “conversation,” I am going to scream. No, friends. Social media is a LOT more than that: it’s an opportunity to build something.

The world is full of people who want to be heard. But how many are actually saying something? The Internet is crowded with those who are conversing, but who is creating stuff worth our time?

For years, I blogged in vain attempts at achieving popularity. I wanted people to like me and marvel at the profundity of my words. And I failed. It wasn’t until I built a resource of content that people took notice.

Everyone wants to believe what they’re doing is interesting and worth talking about. They want to think they’re special and unique. But the truth is that’s not your call.

I see this attitude most often exhibited amongst writers and artists. They think that just because they’re creative, the world owes them respect and attention. Not true.

You don’t get to decide what “remarkable” is. Your audience does. And if nobody’s paying attention, you’ve got a problem.

This is Part 1 in a series on how to build a popular blog. In this post, I’ll share the first secret to successful blogging and a few tips I’ve learned.

I began my writing journey in search of accolades and awards, wanting recognition and fame. But instead, I found frustration and disillusionment.

For years, I seethed with envy, watching other bloggers succeed while I stood still. As jealousy turned to resentment, I began to see the world through murky-colored glasses, finding fault with everything these people did.

But eventually I had to come to grips with reality: Being jaded was doing me absolutely no good.

We all have to learn to live in the in-between moments of life. Whether you’re 17 or 71, you know what it means to have anxiety, to experience delays, to hope for things that never come. Which raises an important question:

What do we do with the waiting? Do we love or loathe it? Is it a necessary evil to get to the good stuff in life? Or is it the entire point of being alive?

I wrote my next book in an attempt to answer that question (read on to hear how I’m going to give you a ton of bonuses when you decide to preorder it and join me in the waiting).

I’ve written before about how I became a full-time writer and what it takes to get paid for your passion. But if I didn’t tell you the true secret to turning pro, I wouldn’t be doing my job.

There’s an important truth that few people who’ve “made it” in their industry want to talk about. But in my experience, it’s essential to success. What is it? Mindset.

Success is first experienced in the mind before it becomes a reality. This may sound kind of metaphysical or something, but all I really mean is this: Before you start acting like a pro, you will have to think like a pro.

Lots of people ask me how I made the transition from full-time employee to full-time writer. Some want to know the specific steps I took while others are interested in how I continue to sustain a living as a writer (which typically isn’t known for being a lucrative profession).

The truth is I never intended to make any money doing this. I didn’t think it was possible.

At most, I thought I’d be able to publish books (if I was lucky) and collect a few meager royalties while continuing to hold down a day job for the rest of my life.

But in less than two years, I found myself at a crossroads.