From the moment I started reading this book I was impacted. It was actually very difficult to read in that it truly challenged my thinking. Godin’s book Tribes went there but he really has nailed it this time round. Where is there? Challenging the status quo, being remarkable – be a renaissance.

The word’s of my high school vice principal  the day I dropped out of specialist maths class came back to me. If only I had a little Seth in my pocket that day. My favorite subject in school was learning about the Industrial Revolution, so it was stunning to read Godin’s take on it’s full circle.

To be honest this isn’t a book everybody could stomach but everyone should read it. Yeah marketers and business people will read this, but anyone from school teachers to artist to preachers could lean on these principles.

photo credit: TEIA MG

So I am not specifically talking here about getting a real life mentor that you spend one on one time with here. What I am talking about is an online learning option that in some capacity, you may already be using. In my previous post I encouraged you to choose at least three experts and their blogs in your field. Using iGoogle, I wake up with a personalised, live dashboard with all the latest entries and freshest content I want to read. I am a big fan of mentors and have learnt a bundle of stuff by getting alongside experienced individuals who have helped and guided my development. But sometimes those people are not available one on one, so this is another avenue for your learning that you can use starting today. Furthermore that is the essence of many successful blogs - to help and guide others unconditionally.

Let’s start…

Step 1 – Go to an ordinary Google search screen. One the top right, click the iGoogle link and sign up. Once inside you need to add the blogs you want to connect with.

Step 2 – Go to your favourite blog, click on the RSS feed button as pictured above. Copy the URL once on the feed page.

Step 3 – Go back to your iGoogle home page.

Step 4 – Go to ‘Add Stuff’ on the right hand side.

Step 5- Go to ‘Add a feed or gadget”

Step 6 – Paste in feed url box and you are done!

Now when you return to the iGoogle Homepage, you should now be able to see the new gadget. You can add what ever gadgets float your boat or make your life easier. I use the Camilla Engmantheme but you can completely create your own if you so desire. I have only bothered with a translater gadget but there is plenty more options there too.

Shameless plug – try using my RSS feed right at the bottom of the screen!

When recently asked about the purpose of a blog , it got me thinking. To me a Blog is a virtual catalogue of works, findings and inspirations of one’s life.  If you eat, sleep and breathe marketing like I do – you write about Marketing. The average website is nothing more than a glorified business card. Unless it is capturing mind share of your audience, it is pointless and usually at a cost. A Blog gives you the opportunity to engaged people and earn their Trust.  Without that ‘T’ word you get zero of the other ‘T’ word – Traction.

Recently I’ve had the privilege of getting to know a whole heap of very gifted people. Almost all of them in the throws of stepping out  and starting something new. Each an authority in their chosen field or passion to match.  All would suit this form of media.

There is any number of resources out there to get you off the ground fast. I started out with a Free WordPress Blog.

One of the very first steps in ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog is to follow blogs in your area of interest. You can start doing this today. The very first Blog I ever followed was Seth Godin about 3 years ago. I am a different person today because of it.

Gary Vaynerchuk’s Book – Crush It - will clarify a few things in a really simple way  -  get his book here -  it took me four train rides to read it! Also Gary found out he was far better on camera so you might want to consider a video blogging too.