In a comment recently I mentioned how I only subscribe to around 15 other blogs (now 12) and just focus on my own writing rather than worry about what other people are putting out there. I was surprised to receive a few emails asking exactly what those sites were that make it onto my small list.
I thought it would be a good idea to share what they are today. I had planned on adding my favourite books here as well but once I considered the size of the post and the quality resources shared, I decided to save my book recommendations for another post.
My 12 Favourite Blogs
Wake Up Tiger – View Latest Post
This site is not the prettiest and it doesn’t have the most in-depth articles, but that’s probably why I love it. Most posts are less than 100 words from the site that describes itself as helping you ‘wake up the tiger within.’ The entirety of one recent blog post was: “There is proof that God exists…who pops up the next Kleenex?”
Tynan.net – View Latest Post
Tynan might be familiar to some of you as Herbal from the book ‘The Game’. I don’t read his blog for any tips on picking up women though (which he rarely covers) but more for his travel diaries as he tours the world on a budget. For the last few months he has been living out of an RV and all of his electricity comes from a single solar panel. Definitely check the site out if you enjoy travelling.
Illuminated Mind – View Latest Post
Illuminated Mind is written by Jonathan Mead who is actually quite an abusive person: most of his blog posts involve ass-kicking in some shape or form. More seriously though, this site is about living on your own terms and following your dreams. I’ve spoke to Jonathan on the phone quite a few times and whilst I haven’t met him, I can tell he is a great guy who really wants to help people grow.
Upgrade Reality – View Latest Post
This site is ran by one of my best friends, Diggy, who will soon be joining me on insane adventures in Amsterdam and sitting next to me on a number of videos to be shown here. That’s not why I’m featuring him though. I’m featuring his site because it is the best example of someone being real that I can find. He doesn’t care much for grammar, spelling or a clean sidebar (no offence buddy) but I can relate to everything he writes. Something I can’t say for many other blogs.
Derek Sivers – View Latest Post
Derek has made quite a name for himself in the offline world, being featured in publications such as Esquire, but it is his blog that I care about. The best way I could describe his site is by asking you to picture Seth Godin but with a music slant. Derek is the founder of CD Baby which he later sold and while he has great ideas of his own, I regularly find some awesome resources which he shares in his updates.
Steve Pavlina – View Latest Post
If I’m honest, I don’t subscribe to Steve’s site anymore, but I do stop by now and then. I’ve literally spent days sucking the value from this site so it definitely deserves to be mentioned here. I think Steve has gone off on some crazy tangents since the ‘old days’ but his archives definitely have some fantastic information that I would recommend everybody checks out. If you’ve only read one self improvement blog in your life, I’m sure you’ve still heard of Steve.
Cheerup Nation – View Latest Post
Cheerup Nation is a relatively new site but has a great idea. Instead of long-winded posts with messages to share, Brian Papa has ensured that his blog remains as simplistic as possible. Many posts are filled with clever post-it-notes or (my favourite part) children from around the world holding up inspirational messages. The idea behind the site is simple, but it’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face each day.
Jonathan Fields – View Latest Post
I’ve put Jonathan last in the list here as his blog is a cross between marketing and self improvement. And trust me when I say he has great insights on both. Having read business related blogs for years, you get sick of the same information over and over again. Somehow, Jonathan manages to come up with thought provoking posts on a regular basis which help to change my perspective and open my mind.
Smart Passive Income – View Latest Post
Pat is perhaps the only non-scammy blogger who reveals his monthly income online. Being someone who makes their living from their websites, I’m always interested to see how people are doing and what they’re doing it with. Pat’s monthly income reports regularly exceed $20,000 and he’s not just someone who sits around with his money. Right now he’s working on some iPhone applications and I’m sure there’s a lot more interesting things to come.
SkellieWag – View Latest Post
Despite being a successful internet marketer for the last few years, I rarely read blogs on the topic anymore. One that does make my list though, is SkellieWag. Skellie rarely writes posts so you can probably benefit most from her archives, but when she does write, 99 times out of 100 I’ll bookmark the post and read it twice. One to check out if you want to succeed in making money online without all the fluff.
Quick Sprout – View Latest Post
I used to talk to Neil quite regularly before he really ‘took off’ and became a millionaire at the young age of 21. We were both amongst the top social media ‘experts’ (I hate the term) on the web and showed companies how it should be done. Neil started his own blog just over a year ago and it is backed with excellent business insights. For someone who has enjoyed so much success already, he’s definitely one to keep an eye on.
SEO Book – View Latest Post
I have been reading Aaron Wall’s site for around 3 years now so that shows the quality of information he has to offer. Aaron is probably the best SEO in the world and highly respected by everyone in the industry. He’s not a big shot that doesn’t keep in touch though; he has taken time out to do two interviews with me in the past, even when I was a complete nobody. If you run a website, you need to be following this blog.
Win A Free Copy of Cloud Living
Cloud Living has been out for two months now so I assume that most people who want a copy (or at least can afford it) have picked it up already. Cloud Living is my guide to how I make thousands of dollars per month online and is valued at $37. That being said, I’m sure there are a few readers who wouldn’t mind getting their hands on it as a freebie. There are three copies up for grabs and all you have to do is leave a comment sharing your favourite blog (that you don’t own) and why you like it.
I will use a random number generator to pick the winners. If a winner already has a copy, I’ll run the generator again and pick someone else. Make sure that you put your actual email address into the comment form so you can collect your prize if you win.
Update: Congratulations to the winners Arti, Finola, and Andreas.