Websites are not for the faint-hearted. Now I’ve firmly discouraged you, let’s talk about why they’re worth it.
You’re the kid with all of the Muppet Babies
(You probably have to be my age and raised in Australia to understand that one. Muppet Babies were the craze when I was six.)
Maybe you’re big and tough and you don’t need buddies, but my goal in life is to have the world’s 10,000 coolest people at my funeral, all sobbing and screaming, “No, she was too awesome to die!” While I have not yet reached that goal, I am assured that my demise would trigger at least a sad thoughtful afternoon from dozens of exceptionally cool people, people I would never have met if I didn’t have this website. I love my readers and quite a few love me back. If I have to explain why that fact alone provides enough motivation for me to get up at 4:30am to write a blog post… well, I pity you.
Gimme 10cc’s of creative juice, stat!
Not only will you become a never-ending fountain of ideas about your business, you become a generally more creative person. You make things with your mind, and like all muscles your brain gets stronger when exercised! Soon you’ll be benching 300kg with that sucker, while all the other smart kids gather around and clap and look jealous.
We humbly request the honour of your presence…
Doors open when you have an awesome website. People send you stuff. You’re on the VIP list. Networking events become a mix of regular workday and birthday party.
Puppet-show particle physics
The ultimate test of whether you really know a subject is whether you can explain it. In stripping an idea down to its component parts, in finding the right metaphor, in abandoning the jargon, you gain a better understanding of your subject. Sometimes startling new insights come out of the process. Sometimes you realise that you’ve found a great way to answer that, “So, what do you do?” question in less than 20 minutes.
My hero!
People telling you they like your work is great. But when they act on your advice and it improves their life? Seriously, is there any better feeling than that?
Take this job and shove it
Now I rather like my Day Job, but that does not in any way suggest I will not skip out the door with a song in my heart on the day I get to finally quit and do this all day instead. Financial independence and working on your owns terms? No more wasting hours of your incredibly precious life on useless meetings? No more listening to the annoying guy ramble about procedural documentation? No more dress code or office politics or clients that you don’t dare to fire? No more sitting on the bus thinking, “Only two days until payday”? Please yes!
Hey, look at what I can do!
The delightful Scott Stratten once confessed to me (via Twitter, of course) that he occasionally re-watches his own videos. (I don’t blame him… they’re excellent.) When you do awesome work you can enjoy re-reading your old content… you know you’re producing entertaining, quality writing. You giggle inside as you hit on just the right phrase – even if no-one else laughs at it, you nailed it! High five yourself, you know you want to.
What is it you do again?
I make meaning all day. And hang out on Twitter.
I win.
It’s alive! Alive!
Watching your website grow is terribly exciting. Every new subscriber, new comment, and – glee! – new sale is a cause for celebration. It’s like a marathon where there’s a winner’s tape every 20 metres.
And suddenly, I’m a genius.
Your knowledge always seems ordinary to yourself. It’s hard to remember a time when you didn’t know this stuff, and it’s hard to regard this knowedge as special… until you share it.The look of wonder and the awed comments reminds you of how much you know, how far you’ve come, and why you learnt all this information in the first place.
You could maybe make some serious money
How serious? As serious as an undertaker’s basset hound. Ooooh… that’s pretty damn serious.
Your five-minute mission, should you choose to accept it…
1. Grab a piece of paper and for five minutes write down all the incredibly cool stuff that will happen once you have an awesome website.
2. That paper’s a bit hard to read. Write it out nicely and stick it somewhere visible.
3. Refer to it often, especially on days when you’re feeling uninspired.
Feeling more excited about starting an awesome website? Thought of more fantastic benefits? Tell us in the comments!