This post is the third in a week-long heavy-hitting series called the Remarkablogger Manifesto. The post in the series are:
- What Do You Believe In?
- What Do You Stand For?
- What is Non-Negotiable?
- Why Do You Blog?
- What Will Your Legacy Be?
The inspiration for this series comes from changes I’m making in my life that are not separate from my work. See the first post, Remarkablogger Manifesto: What Do You Believe In? for more on why I’m doing this series.
What is Non-Negotiable?
We all make compromises or get drawn into things against our better judgment. Compromise too much or get in too deep, though, and you’ve lost your way. You will have also lost your time, because these things have a way of eating up all your time. You offered life an inch, but it took a mile instead.
Some things need to be non-negotiable. Think of it as the more personal version of taking a stand.
Here are some important things to be non-negotiable with. These are examples and they may not resonate with everyone (and they’re not my non-negotiable items, either):
- How much time you spend with your family every day
- Not drinking cheap beer
- Your favorite television show
- Getting your own posts out
- Your rates or prices
- Eating organic food
- Giving a percentage of your earnings to a worthy cause
- How much time you spend in volunteer activities
- Mobilizing for your party/candidate of choice during an election
- Compromising your integrity in business dealings
- Attending Sturgis or a blogging conference every year
Specifically for business and blogging:
- A comment policy
- A paid links policy
- A posting schedule
- A posting topic
- A level of post quality (this could conflict with your posting schedule, so it’s likely you choose one over the other at some point)
- Design elements
- Selling/monetizing methods
- Only working with clients that meet specific criteria
Here’s a specific example from my life: every September in Vermont is one of the most down-to-earth old-timey country fairs ever, the Tunbridge Word’s Fair. For the past couple years, my family and I have not gone, and each time we miss it, I get really pissed.
So I’ve decided that the Tunbridge Fair is non-negotiable. And even though I really didn’t have the time, we went anyway and I’m very glad we did. I feel like I can breathe more easily now that I got my Tunbridge fix. Stuff like that is one of the reasons why I live here in the first place, and to miss it is to miss the point of why I’m here and why I do what I do.
Knowing what’s non-negotiable in your life is empowering. It sets boundaries–not in a barricade sort of way, but in an energy channeling sort of way (look out, I’m gettin’ mystical on ya!). I feel refreshed and renewed, ready to tackle that mountain of work I have to do.
There can be unpleasant consequences to having non-negotiable elements in your life and work. Other people may not like your inflexibility about something that’s important to you. If they can’t respect you for that, well, that’s their problem. When something is non-negotiable, it is vital to your life, to your success, and to your sense of well-being (can beer be vital to your sense of well-being? I think so! 
).
What’s Non-Negotiable for You?
As with the previous two posts in this series, I believe that the only way you’re going to really know what’s non-negotiable for yourself is to write it down. Take the time to examine your life and see what’s important to your sense of well-being. Plan around that, and I think you’ll be happier. As this relates to blogging, you’ll certainly be a better blogger and reap the benefits of that in traffic and subscribers.
Here’s to your blogging success!
Michael Martine, Remarkablogger
Blog Marketing is what I blog about, Blog Consulting is what I do–How can I help you? Click here to find out.