Comments on: Following Paths vs Leaving Trails

By: Brad

Brad — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:28:18 +0000

This is interesting because it is the mantra of every entrepreneur. I think it applies though to every aspect of life.

For example, people can blaze paths in their relationships with their family, friends, and colleagues by doing something different. It could be as simple as waking up and cooking your significant other or children breakfast in bed or inviting a coworker to lunch just because.

It’s funny that people raise the issue of “being in a rut.” I think that the reason people get in a rut is because they follow paths. Even today, you can still see the marks left by the wagons traveling across the prairie, even though 100+ years have gone by. Ruts exist because we follow the same path and we don’t change it up.

I recently implemented this idea in my relationship with my girlfriend and I can speak for the results.

To summarize, blaze a trail and you won’t get into ruts as often!

Cheers and thanks Darren for the amazing post!

By: frida

frida — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:14:53 +0000

Just when I’d gotten sick of every blog I was following, I found the ezines at Design for Mankind (http://designformankind.blogspot.com) and felt I’d come upon an idea that hadn’t already been recycled around the web a hundred times.

By: Kleintologist

Kleintologist — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:47:12 +0000

Not to nitpick, because it IS such a powerful quote, but Thomas Jefferson said it first, while addressing the Continental Congress, if I’m not mistaken…

and that fop Lord Nelson was also creditied with a quote, very similar. Regardless of who said it first, thanks Darren, for saying it again… It gives pause to think, perchance, eh?

By: Katherine Reschke

Katherine Reschke — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:47:05 +0000

The blog that springs to mind that qualifies as a trail blazer is stevepavlina.com. He is frequently out there and is always original.

By: hornet

hornet — Fri, 09 May 2008 01:00:45 +0000

Excellent (and rather obvious, or at least should be) point. If a blog fails to contribute original, meaningful material, it’s merely regurgitating what’s already out there, at best, if not just generating worthless noise. This being said, I can think of 3 more “obscure” blogs that have nailed the trails thing:

Wooster Collective (www.woostercollective.com) — these guys don’t just cover street art, they probe the meaning behind it. Plus, if you’re into guerrilla/graffiti culture, you can’t help appreciating the only blog that got an exclusive with Banksy after his infamous Louvre stunt — even the NYT didn’t get that.

Strange Maps (http://strangemaps. wordpress.com) — the most bizarre, interesting, diverse, thought-provoking maps…by the hundreds. Talk about owning a niche.

Brain Pickings (http://stickandmove.com/brainpickings) — it’s hard enough to operate a nicheless blog that covers anything from art to activism to psychology to gadgets. But doing it in a smart way that inspires anyone, whatever they do for a living, is just a whole different playing field.

I’m sure there are plenty such smaller but incredibly innovative blogs out there. And the best part of it all is discovering them.

By: Daniel Condurachi

Daniel Condurachi — Thu, 08 May 2008 23:44:57 +0000

I am not such a road opener, but I build a path together with God. My blog is about what I do – basically graphic design, marketing and photography -, and why I do it – to help other to know God by reading about my projects and how God influences them and also my everyday thoughts that motivate me.
I do not know if others are going exactly this. But I know that there are many Christian specialists out there evangelizing with their life and even their blogs where they write about their life

By: Pentad

Pentad — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:40:56 +0000

*sigh*. I’ll take this as a bit of comfort. I always seem to going another way than everyone else. My spouse just shakes his head. Heh.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:39:21 +0000

Great quote that can apply to so many aspects of life. I think that I’d like to put it up in my cube at work and come up with a list of ways that it can help me improve in my job as a software tester.
Thanks for sharing!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:35:07 +0000

I just left Rogue Ink, where the author’s declared that her business blog isn’t a blog, it’s a pub. I like this trend. I don’t know if it’s trailblazing, but it’s different.

I linked to it under my name, since I don’t know how ProBlogger feels about links in the comments . . . a woman name Tei writes it.

By: sdenterprise

sdenterprise — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:53:01 +0000

it is hard in the early stages not to follow in the path of others, I hope I am as individual as they come and map out my own path, but I also want to learn from other experiences, mistakes and lessons too.

I like quotes like that as they make me think a bit outside my own boxed shaped thingy (head)…

By: Gail Pruszkowski

Gail Pruszkowski — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:41:36 +0000

Darren – I’m a newbie. I just added a blog to my web site and I’m trying to develop my own voice and leave a unique trail. I love the quote and plan to print it out and hang it over my computer as a reminder. Somehow I was lucky enough to stumble onto your site and I’ve been a faithful reader ever since. Thanks.

By: metro

metro — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:37:30 +0000

Want to see a blog that takes a risk? Take a walk over to my place.

By: Cosmin Ghiu

Cosmin Ghiu — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:16:42 +0000

Darren – I printed out this quote and placed on my desk. Extremely motivational and inspirational. Also retweeted at: http://twitter.com/cosguru/statuses/806308986

Thank you!

By: john paul

john paul — Thu, 08 May 2008 09:14:11 +0000

i just cant help it – once again Darren Rowse post and a lot of us followed the path or shall i say link title ..

Darren Rowse – just made a trail – where everyone seems to follow it ..

By: all things bright and beautiful

all things bright and beautiful — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:24:51 +0000

PS you should be a motivational speaker ( or minister;-)

By: all things bright and beautiful

all things bright and beautiful — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:12:09 +0000

Well Darren, your blog certainly blazes a trail:-)

Hmm how to blaze a trail?

now that would be a great idea for a post ! :-)

By: Thinkjayant

Thinkjayant — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:05:15 +0000

Darren,

What every one doing now is following paths.

Leaving trail is a very difficult task. Not many can do it. You have to be creative to do it and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

By: a husband

a husband — Thu, 08 May 2008 06:39:14 +0000

This goes along with the “finding a niche” concept when we’re talking about blogs. I started my first blog back in 2001 when I saw a write-up on this “new thing starting to pick up speed” on CNN.com. I loved the idea, and had always wanted to write, but I had no niche. I started a personal blog visited by my grandma and my parents.

At the beginning of this year, I thought of an idea for a blog I hadn’t seen around, and something I was passionate about — helping husbands be better husbands. I did several general searches, but didn’t come up with much, and thought that I had finally found my niche that was going to impact millions.

After I got going, however, I started finding more and more sites like mine, and I initially lost a little spirit. What I thought was going where there was no path ended up being a path that just not too many people knew existed.

But I press on, with those who are before me, hoping to leave a clearer trail for those who might come behind.

Good thought, Darren.

By: Owlhaven

Owlhaven — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:50:02 +0000

I think I am leaving a trail…at least in the lives of my kids, but also on my blog as I share about my life as a mother of many children, most of whom are adopted. There’s a lot of need of there, all too many kids who are living without families, and I would be thrilled to learn that even a few families got brave enough to consider adoption because of the trail my posts are leaving. Very few families will
have as many children as my husband and I do. But many families could probably make space for one more child, maybe a child who might otherwise grow up alone. Seeing how we do it might make it easier for a few more families to step out boldly.

Mary, mom to many

By: Fern

Fern — Thu, 08 May 2008 05:34:38 +0000

Here’s an esoteric question…if everyone reads this quote and then tries to blaze their own trail, are they trailblazers or followers? ;-)