Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Okay, I’ve got in 29 posts this month and that leaves 2 more to finish the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Close but no banana yet, as they say.  I’ll admit I didn’t feel much like writing after a crazy day, and that’s what’s inspired this post about monkeys and bananas!

Monkeys do like bananas, because they’ve got a sweet tooth.  I had to look that up because I wasn’t sure if it was just one of those things we think or if it was really true.  It’s true and they’re smart enough to figure out how to get bananas that are locked in a chest or suspended out of their reach (check it out here).

Back to the point.  Bananas are a reward for monkeys.  Their goal is to get to the bananas and satisfy that sweet tooth.  To do that, they’re willing to plan a strategy and then follow it through to achieve their goal.  I have no idea how difficult that is for a monkey since I’m no zoologist but let’s assume it’s takes some effort.

Now I’m the monkey.  (I’m using myself as an example, since I don’t want to call you, my reader, a monkey and insult you so you don’t come back to my blog.)  So I’m the monkey.  My goal is the banana.  For me the banana could represent several things but let’s go with the banana as being achieving a specific amount of traffic to my blog.  I want X visitors a day.

What am I willing to do to get that banana?  If I sit on my bottom and refuse to do anything I don’t like or step out of my comfort bubble, do you think I’ll get that banana?

Imagine for a moment that the bananas are hanging high up from a tree and the monkey is afraid of heights.  Choices… conquer the fear and get the banana.  Or skip dessert.  Those are it’s choices, right?

My comfort bubble says I don’t like video.  It says I don’t like audio (does anyone love the sound of their own voice, at least when they’re first starting with audio?).  I don’t want to read an ebook on blogging or traffic generation.  I want someone to not only tell me what to do, but do it for me.  I’m going to sit here until another monkey comes by and gets the banana, and when I see that monkey do it, I’ll just ask them to do that work again and give me the banana the second time.

What do you think?  Will my plan work?

Yeah, I don’t think so either… unless I pay the working monkey (and there’s no shame in hiring a coach, virtual assistant or someone else to help us get that banana faster–not that coaches or VAs are monkeys).

If I want the banana, I’ve got to WORK for it.  I’ve got to either put in time or money, more of whichever I’ve got, and apply some effort!

Maybe I don’t like audio, video, or ebooks.  But if that’s where the smart people I can learn from are sharing their knowledge, then this monkey is going to LEARN to like those things!  And I’m going to learn to create and leverage them myself, no matter what I think of my own voice.  I’ll stay up late or get up early (or both) if that’s what it takes to get there.  I’ll keep going one day at a time and stay committed to my goals.

Do you really want to reach your goals and get that banana?  Then be a smart monkey cookie!  (I can call you a cookie, right?)  Reach out, stretch yourself, and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.

If a monkey can get to it’s banana… well, I’m sure you and I can get to ours!