Image Courtesy of BL1961
Since the day I started this blog, it has been my wish that this blog will develop into an interactive platform where my readers will get involved in exchanging ideas and pointers in the comments sections so that we can all learn from one another.
In short, I’m trying to build a community here. However, my old tagline ‘Tips and Advice to Help You Become Better, Wiser and Richer’ doesn’t really explain whom this blog is meant for.
Recently, I read a very interesting article by Chris Guillebeau entitled ‘What Makes a Community’. The one thing from the article that keeps swimming in my head is this:
Just as a community welcomes the right people with open arms, a strong community will also gently turn away people who aren’t the best fit. This isn’t rude; it’s good for the community, and good for the people who don’t belong.
It suddenly occurs to me that I’ve never really given a serious thought to who exactly are the ‘right people’ for the community I’m trying to build here.
All I did was simply to share what I’ve learnt and hopefully in the process it’ll attract everyone who’s interested in what I have to say and start hanging around to share what they have to say. I never really defined who this ‘everyone’ was.
Chris has also mentioned in his eBook 279 Days to Overnight Success that there is no ‘everyone’. You have to attract the right people and gently steers the wrong ones away.
I know this is a stupid mistake because it is only common sense to carefully define your target audience (the right people) if you’re trying to build a following. OK, I’ve come to my senses now.
It took me awhile to finally determine who are the ‘right people’ – the people that I personally want to hang out with.
Actually, it shouldn’t have taken me as much time as I’d taken (about a week) to figure out the ‘right people’ because the answer was in fact right before me but I just failed to realise it.
In case you didn’t realise, the name of this blog is called The Big Dreamer. It is so named because that is who I am – a big dreamer. I love dreaming big, I believe in dreaming big, and I’m determined to make it big.
So it was pretty obvious that this blog should be meant for all big dreamers. It is a community of big dreamers that I should be building here. Chris has also said that:
A community is a group of people united through a common struggle with the same stories.
A common struggle unites individuals into groups and creates a sense of urgency. The struggle can’t be too easy. It’s good to be victorious in the end, but you have to go through some hardship along the way.
Big dreamers have some common struggles. We have to:
• Face the ridicule of naysayers
• Overcome great fear
• Overcome a lot of self-doubt
• Overcome major challenges
• Embrace failures with a positive attitude
• Work longer hours than most people
These are just a few of the struggles. There are too many to name. So if you are a big dreamer, you have come to the right place. This is your hangout.
But what defines a big dreamer?
Here are a few definitions – my definitions, anyway. You are a big dreamer if you aspire to:
• Change the world
• Dominate the world, and/or
• Become (at least) a millionaire – with liquid assets worth US$1,000,000 or more excluding the property you’re living in
You may have your own definition of what’s a big dreamer. It doesn’t matter. As long as you consider yourself a big dreamer, I sincerely invite you to join in the community and share with us your big dream(s) in the comment section below.
And if you don’t consider yourself a big dreamer but would like to hang around, you’re welcome too. I’m not going to ‘shoo’ you away. I just want to pre-empt you that we may hold very different perceptions, beliefs and principles which you may find unorthodox or even outrageous.
If you don’t find this blog or community to be for you, you’re free to give it a miss.
Cheers~
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on Jun 12th, 2009 at 1:56 am
Mark, I LOVE your new tagline. This one most adeptly describes what your blog is about and gives it such a clear direction! Interestingly, I have also been pondering about the tagline of my blog (synchronicity?) and I haven’t yet uncovered one which I’m fully satisfied with. The problem is my site/business has already been built around the name, Embrace Living, which then makes it tricky when coming up with the tagline. It’s a question as to how much I want to deviate away from my business name in my tagline. I’m still thinking about this; if you have any ideas I’ll be happy to hear them of course. Congrats on your new tagline!
on Jun 12th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Hi Mark,
Love your tag line! It fits nicely with your blog name and the posts you write.
Hope your ebook is progressing well.
Shamelle
on Jun 12th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Hi Celes,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It’s really a big encouragement. It is quite a challenge to come up with a tagline that nicely sums everything up and one that absolutely makes you feel “This is it!” I’m grateful I found mine.
Yeah, I think it’ll be fun to help you bounce some ideas off for your tagline. If I have anything, I’ll certainly drop them in your box. Or if you have anything and want my two cents worth, don’t be shy to ask!
Cheers~
Mark
on Jun 12th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Hi Shamelle,
I’m glad you love it! Thank you so much. There’s going to be some late submissions for the eBook but still everything’s been good so far.
Cheers~
Mark
on Jun 14th, 2009 at 4:21 am
LOVE the new tagline!
That’s awesome. And I love your explanation of it. Thanks!
on Jun 14th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Hi Dani,
Thank you very much for your encouraging words! I really appreciate it.
Cheers~
Mark
on Jun 15th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Hey, Mark!
I was just thinking of writing a post similar to this, since I recently read Seth Godin’s book, Tribes. In it he talks at great length about building communities and the importance of not only who is IN, but who is OUT of the tribe.
The first part of that is easy for me… I know the type of people who read, enjoy, and benefit from my site. I have no trouble mentioning those. The tougher part is that I also know who does NOT enjoy my blog, but I don’t feel as comfortable pointing those out. It feels divisive… like US vs THEM. So, I haven’t been able to write about about who is in and who is out of the Q4B tribe.
My hope is that even those who are currently not exactly on board will eventually come around since, after all, compassion really IS contagious and everyone wants to be happy.
In any case, I love the new tagline and will proudly proclaim I am a big dreamer… I’d like to change the world into a more loving, compassionate place.
on Jun 16th, 2009 at 1:57 am
Hi Lisis,
The way I see it is, it doesn’t matter if it’s divisive. Everybody holds different perceptions, beliefs, principles, etc, and that is OK. The important thing is we’re not saying we’re good and you’re bad, or we’re right and you’re wrong.
And the fact is, there are already divisive communities and tribes in the world. For instance, each ethnic group is a community on its own, or each religion is a community on its own. We can’t say which is better or worse. So it is perfectly fine for you to define your own tribe as long as you hold respect for the people and culture in other tribes.
As a matter of fact, these are the differences that make this world a much more interesting place! If everybody were the same, that’s going to be so boring, don’t you think?
Oh yes… I’m very glad you love the new tagline and I’d like to warmly welcome you to the family of Big Dreamers!
Cheers~
Mark
on Jun 22nd, 2009 at 6:17 pm
[...] blog I enjoy reading, The Big Dreamer, wrote an interesting post recently. The post covered how the owner of the site, Mark, had never really defined who his ideal [...]
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Hi Mark,
Glad to see the new tagline! I really like it compared to the old one. Let’s keep dreaming big my friend!
I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to or as much as I would like, but I am getting back into it slowly but surely. Let’s work on another joint project here soon!
Cheers,
Jeremy
on Jun 29th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Hi Jeremy! Welcome to The Big Dreamer! Thank you very much for popping by.
Yeah, I realised you haven’t been blogging as much but I’m glad you’re getting back to it. I’d look forward to working on a joint project together!
Cheers~
Mark