I would like to share the article that I wrote for Malaya Business Insight last March 18, 2015. In case you missed it, I am posting it here on my blog. Enjoy!
It’s almost been a year since I interviewed running maven and influential blogger, Jaymie Pizarro, of TheBullRunner.com for the Freelance Blend Podcast. Still, that episode has been the one of the most downloaded episodes of the show and I believe it’s because of the many life lessons that Jaymie wholeheartedly shared throughout the show.
I hope you have time to listen to it later because it is very inspiring and hilarious at the same time. Who knew that Jaymie can be as kalog and accommodating as she was, even if it was the first time I ever met her. You can listen to the show by going to: www.freelanceblend.com/14.
Meanwhile, here are the 7 most valuable lessons that I learned while interviewing The Bull Runner herself.
7 Lessons from The Bull Runner
1. You don’t have to be an expert to become a leader of a tribe.
“I don’t consider myself an elite athlete or a super strong athlete. I’m basically just your typical runner.”
Jaymie was a self-confessed non-athlete until she discovered running. From there she joined races, wrote about her experiences in a blog, formed her own community around the blog and then launched her own races. Until now, she doesn’t consider herself an expert but she is heralded as the top names in the running world because of the brand, The Bull Runner.
2. How small bits of action can lead to bigger things.
“The secret is to take yourself gradually to increase your running, in between walking, until you run straight.”
Jaymie’s goal was to run 30 minutes straight on a treadmill, which was difficult for her at first being a non-sporty person. When she conquered that, she started running on the road. Then she ran her first race, which got her hooked into running that led to the blog. Now, she has stepped up her game by becoming a triathlete.
3. The importance of being fast.
“My goal was to provide information for runners like me who, online, wanted quick information about it.”
Fast did not only apply to Jaymie’s running tactics but also to her blogging style. Runners wanted to have a quick read prior to a race and she adjusted her writing to suit the needs of her audience. You have to be able to adapt to your audience as quickly as possible.
4. Positivity rules.
Some bloggers use their platform to rant and the negativity spreads like wildfire. For The Bull Runner blog, Jaymie wanted to go past that and focus on the inspirational and motivational stuff about running. Readers would rather be inspired than annoyed. Makes perfect sense.
5. Write like no one is reading.
“I like it more when I felt like no one was reading. Because I could be talagang, wow, all out! I can say anything!”
Blogging is all about authenticity. You write how you feel and you don’t have someone to edit your words. You are your own editor. The readers, meanwhile, will like you even more because to them, it is like reading a friend’s personal email to them.
6. Passion > fad.
“Even if the running boom dies down a bit, there’s still a deep, passionate group of runners who will continue to keep the sport alive in the country.”
You don’t need a million Twitter followers to be considered a success. In fact, maybe 80% of those are even fake accounts. Just focus on the 20% that will help you grow your brand and spread your message across the world.
7. Conquer your own enemy
“Every single day, a runner will lie in bed and think: “What if I just don’t do it? What if I just don’t lace up?” Nothing will happen. But when you do, you always end up feeling fulfilled, feeling glad that you did it because you conquered your own enemy, which is really just YOU at the end of the day.”
Your worst competition is yourself. You have to fight through it. Do one thing every day that will make you uncomfortable. It doesn’t have to be just running. It can be writing a blog post, recording a podcast, going to the gym, eating vegetables, or formulating a business plan. Every day. And once you reached your goal, you feel stronger, smarter, healthier and happier.
Try it.
Learn from Jaymie and Me
Learn more from Jaymie Pizarro, one of our guest panelists, and myself in the upcoming 3-session workshop, “Personal Branding Workshop for Freelancers and Solopreneurs” on April 18, April 25 and May 2 from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.
Other special guests include Showbiz Bro of Machong Chismisan podcast and Ginger Arboleda of MommyGinger.com.
Register now and get 20% discount at www.manilaworkshops.com/personalbranding. The offer end on April 11, 2015. Slots will be limited so book now!