To be a champion you have to create a plan and stick to it and pivot quickly when necessary. However, the road to becoming a champion in anything is filled with hardships, loss and amazing moments of extreme bliss. I have developed a process that has helped me become successful in SEO, business, blogging, and life. It is a process I have observed many people go through, and which I personally used to help turn MullenLowe Profero’s search group into a multi-million dollar business (in less than a year) and make it on to Ad Age’s 2015 40 Under 40 list.
This post is dedicated to the Champion in all of us. Osu! If this inspires you in anyway please pay it forward and send someone you know an anonymous email of hope, love or inspiration via our Spread Love widget on the home page.
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Here is the post on slide share as well. Enjoy.
What is a Champion
Before I get into the process I want to define what I believe a champion is because it is very important. A champion is a person who is striving and finding success at being the best version of themselves that they can be. I believe that if we strive to be the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be there is no goal that we set for ourselves that we can not accomplish. The goal is not to be perfect but to make the choice one moment at a time to do the task at hand in a full contact no half measure kind of way. I’ve recruited some champions and top fighters to help me hammer my points home.
Full Contact Karate
Some Interesting Things About Kyokushin Karate
- Kyokushin means “The Ultimate Truth” in Japanese
- Mas Oyama killed Bulls with one punch and beat Boxer, Wrestlers or
who ever would accept a fight to promote the style - George St. Pierre UFC Welter Weight Champion’s foundation is
Kyokushin - Practice never stops; the goal is to keep evolving and to test yourself
- You are taught to never give up and always stay in the fight
So Naturally I Do Full Contact SEO
- Full Contact SEO is “The Ultimate Truth” because it builds a strong foundation for every other digital marketing discipline
- I will go to the ends of the earth to promote SEO but I promote it best by doing good work
- Practice and learning never stop; the goal is to keep evolving and to test yourself
- I never give up and always stay in the fight
The Truth is We Are All Fighters
Champions Embrace This
A Few SEO Champions
Rand Fishkin
CEO, MOZ – An Marketing analytic software company
Why:
Mike King
Founder, iPullRank, A Digital Marketing and SEO Company
Why:
Mackenzie Fogelson
Owner, Mack Web Solutions. a Web Marketing Solution
Why:
How to Be a Champion, The Process
Mas Oyama The Founder of Kyokushin On Success
On Going Qualities
Believe in Yourself
Action Step: Look yourself in the mirror every morning and say, “I’m going to crush it today no matter what!”
Work Hard
Action Step: Keep working on that project for 10 minutes longer than when the voice in your head says to quit. If you do this eventually that voice will become your biggest motivator.
Spread Love
Action Step: Smile and go the extra mile to make sure everyone you meet is left feeling better about themselves after they leave you.
Be a Champion, The Process
Step 1: Create and Execute a Plan
Action Step: Write down a goal – it can be anything from creating an infographic to launching your blog. Next, write down the steps you are going to take to accomplish that goal and then do it.
Step 2: Practice
No matter what your craft is design, sewing, financial trading, SEO, inbound marketing, invest the time to develop it. Also develop the many little skills that will give you an edge in what you do.
Step 3: Symbiotic Relationships
Action Step: The best SEOs create such great content and tools that the SEO community depends on them. Create something awesome and give it away. Then do it again and again.
Step 4: Fight and Test Yourself
Action Step: Create a theory or product and set some goals and a projections. Try and prove your theory or make your product a success.
Step 5: Learn and Evolve
If you are not growing you are decaying.” This is even more true in the SEO and the digital marketing world. You have to develop the desire to keep learning new things. I live by this quote from Mark Twain. “I Never Let Schooling Get in the Way of My Education.”
Action Step: Use next month to learn a new skill or discipline. You can learn digital skills on Lynda.com and how to code from Codeacademy.com
Step 6: Stay in the Fight
“A goal with out a plan is a wish.” That being said you have to create a plan and process for any goal you want to accomplish. Write this plan down and attack it step by step. Most importantly stick to your plan even if things don’t work out at first or take a long time to pick up. Mack, Rand and most entrepreneur’s success is a testament to their willingness to not give up. But remember to leave room to be able to pivot and slightly alter your plan to take advantage of opportunities that may pop up.
Action Step: Write down a goal – it can be anything from creating an infographic to launching your blog. Next, write down the steps you are going to take to accomplish that goal and then do it.
Final Advice from Our Champions
Rand Fishkin
Blog: Moz.com/Rand
Twitter: @randfish
Advice:
“Be the exception, not the rule. If everyone else is doing things one way, there’s almost certainly opportunity and value in questioning what’s “normal” and seeking the alternative.”
Great Content from Rand
Rands personal blog is filled with amazing content that will force you to think and inspire you. Read and follow him the post below is amazing start there.
It just depends what you consider.
Mike King
Site: iPullRank.com
Twitter: @ipullrank
Advice:
“Test every assumption, avoid silos and always be learning.”
Great Content from Mike
This Reinclusion story can teach you a lot about reputation management and brand building. Read it and follow Mike.
Mackenzie Fogelson
Blog: Mackwebsolutions/blog
Twitter: @mackwebteam
Advice:
“Put the focus on your goals, your customers, and your business. Figure out what you’re really passionate about, are really awesome at, and then develop a strategy that will help you accomplish what you really want to achieve. Bring hard work and drive to what you do every day and surround yourself with people who believe in what you’re doing.”
Great Content from Mack
Read this blog post on how they set a goal, executed it and kicked ass in only 10 months. How we accomplished big goals with content and social media marketing.
