NicoleFinke.com

Last year in class we were given the breakdown of 4 personality types most of us generally fit. Most of us have traits that overlap or put us in multiple groups, but basically there’s one we fit better than the rest. There’s the focused “driver” who is result-oriented and likes to get from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible. The detail-oriented “analyzers” question everything and add a new depth of thought to discussions. The “amiable” group pays close attention to the needs of others and generally keeps the peace, while the “expressive” group refers to those fun-loving, life of the party types.

Why does this matter when it comes to blogging? I’m constantly confronted with the stereotype that all bloggers are essentially the same and if you don’t fit some predetermined mold then blogging isn’t for you. I don’t buy it. Regardless of what personality type(s) you fit blogging can add to the way you see the world.

If you’re a driver-type, blogging is an irreplaceable part of your career. Building an online presence is key in today’s job markets and a blog can get you one step ahead of the competition. Displaying your work online and writing posts that show who you are add weight to your credibility. Consider your blog a career investment.

For the analytical thinker, blogging is a way to see the world from a new perspective. Instead of noticing an ad, article, or problem and then moving on, blogging brings the questions “How can I fix this?” and “How does this connect to something else I know?” into everyday thought. This capacity translates not just into blog posts, but into how you solve problems and see the world around you.

Those who fall into the amiable category can find purpose in creating a blog as well. When you pay attention first and foremost to the needs of others, finding ways to express your own opinion can be difficult, but a blog is the perfect place to do it. After all, those who observe are usually best at seeing ideas in a new light but don’t always share these ideas.

An expressive-type person is generally considered to be the blogger stereotype. If you’re enthusiastic and love meeting new people, what better way to do so than finding others of common interest through blogging communities?

While you may start blogging for one reason, all the reasons combined will continue to make it worthwhile. Through blogging, one single activity can boost your career, improve critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills, create new relationships across the globe, and serve as a form of self-expression. So I challenge you, ask yourself: What type are you?

I recently read a blog post on brazen careerist about how most people are “lurkers” when it comes to blogging and social media in general. As creepy as the terminology is, I couldn’t agree more that most of us fit that mold.

Nisha Chittal, author of the piece, maintains this is because people lack the courage to blog in the first place or feel they have nothing to contribute. Though I admit at least some of my lurking can be attributed to those factors, my lack of courage (and I’m guessing a few others out there) comes from wanting to be heard, wanting to contribute, and especially wanting to be a part of the vibrant social media community online, but also being paralyzed to take the next step because the blog post needs to be perfect.

Unfortunately, with that mindset, there never will be a blog. You have to learn to be ok with people reading your thoughts and opinions; if they disagree that’s ok too because it can lead to great conversation. Maybe we’ll all learn to look at an issue a different way. As the wise Mike Sansone told me via Twitter, just mind dump! The direction will develop on its own.