As bloggers or business owners it's natural for us to work towards goals. You set yourself targets and you want to meet those targets, right? Right.

But here's the thing. People set themselves many different types of goals. For us, a lot of them seem to be entered around the 'n' word...

Numbers.

Just have a think about some of the targets bloggers set themselves:

Increase traffic
Get more followers
Get more comments
Increase pageviews
Double subscribers

And everything you’re searching for is “how to do this” and “how to do that”.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's great to set yourself number goals. And it's even better when you hit them. Whether it's an extra thousand page views or an extra hundred social media followers, it's great to celebrate your achievements! But what I want you to remember is this.

Numbers aren't everything. Numbers aren't the most important thing.

I come across so many people who obsess over their numbers. They think they're what matters most. Always questioning why their numbers aren't any bigger and what they can do to get there.

They look at other bloggers income and traffic reports and question why.

Why aren't my numbers that big? I'm putting so much work into my blog - why am I not seeing these results?

It's frustrating.

I've been there on a regular basis. Frustrated with feeling that the work I'm putting in isn't paying off.

But that's just basing it on the numbers. That's not basing it on everything else involved in running an online presence.

Numbers don't tell the whole story. They're not everything.

So today I just wanted to give you some quick reminders on other things to focus on apart from the numbers.

Please don't compare yourself to a blog or website that has thousands more readers than you.

That's definitely not doing anything for your self-confidence! Plus it's not a natural comparison. A blog with a bigger readership than you might have been around for longer. It might be about a topic that attracts more readers. It might be a full-time blogger who posts every single day of the year. You can read as many income reports as you want, but that's never the full story. Usually there's more going on behind-the-scenes. Put things into perspective.

Overnight success doesn't exist.

I could carry on blogging for years and years. But I won't wake up one morning to find out I've become a blogging celebrity, and I don’t think I’d want to either. It can be frustrating, but patience is one of the best skills you can have as a blogger. And yes, it's a skill. You've got to control yourself to have patience and keep delivering for your readers.

You are running your own race.

No one is on the same path. And, at the end of the day, it's not a competition. You shouldn't be trying to beat everyone else. What works for others isn't going to work for everyone. Building your online presence comes from you, knowing yourself and having that belief in yourself.

Think about all the other crazy-awesome things that mean more than numbers.

Relationships, interaction, support, feedback, comments, mentions. Interactions are way more important than numbers will ever be. Look at it this way. A blog that has loads of readers but only a few that are really active is nowhere near as good as blog that has a small, dedicated and active audience.

The frustration you feel is down to you.

Sometimes you've got to get out of your own head. Instead of thinking about what you don't have, think about where you've come so far. Think about what you've achieved so far. Think of how many people have praised you and how many you've helped. Think about how many have chosen to join your community.

More followers doesn’t automatically mean more money.

You could have hundreds of thousands of pageviews or followers. But if they’re not all within your target audience, you won’t make as much money as you think. It’s much more worthwhile to have a small group of followers who truly identify with you, rather than a bunch of them who just signed up to get a freebie. Knowing who you’re creating for and why you’re creating for them will open you up to growth in so many other areas. And these will mean more to you than numbers ever will.

I’ll be honest – it took me time to understand these points. Even now, I still have moments of doubt when it comes to my numbers. But you can come on this journey with me. Give faith to other things. Give appreciation to your comments and interactions rather than your numbers. Take pride when they grow.

How’s your relationship with your numbers? I’d really love to know your thoughts on this so please leave a comment below.