As a blogger, I love when I get to look back at what I’ve accomplished in a given year. This past year, I’ve written nearly 120 blog posts. That’s a lot of writing. In fact, it’s so much that I could have written a 75,000-word book. That’s the size of a regular 350-page novel. WOW!
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Now that 2016 has come and gone and 2017 is fresh and new, I wanted to take a look back at some of the best blog posts/podcasts episodes I’ve written/recorded last year.
When I sit down to write, I am always asking myself, ‘what can I do to take the content value to the next level?’ My prayer is that as you read this blog week in and week out, that you are finding a ton of value. My goal is to help give you the tools you need so you can find your voice and succeed in life.
Each post is designed to equip your life so you can transform lives and reach the world with the message on your heart. We can’t be writers alone, we need each other to navigate the wide world of writing. And, as an aside, if you’re not a part of a writer’s group, find one in your local area.
I know that this blog is touching lives. I’ve received emails from people saying how grateful they are to have found my blog. I’ve had conversations with people who desire to write their book for the first time.
That excites me to continue blogging. That gives me the courage to get up each week and record a new podcast episode. And this coming year, I’m going to take things even further than last. Get ready for some announcements in the coming weeks and months.
Top 10 posts of 2016!
Here’s the top 10 list from last year’s blog posts. These are ranked from least popular to most popular.
10. Episode 72: 5 Powerful Traits That Make Leaders Great.
Leadership is difficult and without the character that goes along with leadership, that leader will fail. In November we elected a new president, and despite what people on both sides of the aisle think, I’ve created a list of what I want in our next president. In fact, this list goes beyond that, it must be the traits that all leaders need, if they want to be successful.
9. Don’t Die With A Book Inside You!
Everyone I’ve talked to desires to write the next best-seller. But the reality, most will never write their book. When I look at a graveyard, I see unwritten books that could have changed the world, but never will.
In this blog post, I walk you through my reasoning for writing an ebook called, Ready, Set, Publish. This ebook is free and this blog is the only place you get to read it. Check out this post, I know it will give you a push to write you first book.
8. What Family Legacy Has Taught Me About Character.
This past year was the year of family reunions for my wife and me. We had 5 reunions to attend this year. some of them were out of state. That made it difficult with a baby. But one thing I’ve learned this past year was the power of character.
Every person leaves an imprint/legacy wherever they go. Legacy begins with you, but it’s how you think that determines what you’ll leave behind for others to follow. Your habits shape your character which determines your success for the future. This is what this blog post aims to accomplish, and my readers agree.
7. 3 Reasons Why We Procrastinate And How To Overcome It.
One of the most important things we can do in life is learning what self-discipline is and how to us it for success. It doesn’t come easy. It takes hard work and dedication. But when we begin to push aside the excuses for not doing something, we’ll find overcoming procrastination is easier than we think.
This is one area a lot of writers can improve on, I know because I’m horrible at procrastination. I want to be transparent, but I also know if I put my nose down, not make excuses, things get done in a timely manner. I hope this post helps you because this is what I do to stay focused.
6. Episode 55: Let your voice be heard.
Everyone has a voice. You may not have found yours yet, but his podcast episode will take the guesswork out of using your voice to change the world. Podcasting is one of the greatest tools we can use to launch our voice into the world.
In this episode, I discuss the idea of podcasting, the equipment you’ll need and how to afford it on a cheap budget. We’ll talk about why you should start your own show and how to get past the dreaded 7th episode. I hope you enjoy it as much as the listeners.
5. 7 Reasons you Should Publish Your Book This Year.
I cannot tell you how many people want to write a book. So, I created this blog post go give you no excuse to get your book written and published in the next 12 months. This blog post was the catalyst for my freemium ebook: Ready, Set, Publish.
I can’t wait for you to discover that you can get your book not only written, but published. It just takes a little gumption and tenacity to get the job done.
4. 5 Reasons You Should Write Down Your 2017 Goals.
Goal planning is something we all like to think we do, but when the rubber meets the road, we give up on those plans two weeks into the new year. In this blog post, I show you the importance of writing down your yearly goals. In fact, I’m working on my goals for 2017, so that I can have a strong year.
Goals keep us grounded and motivated to move forward. Writing down your goals will allow you to see it accomplished by years end. And the more strategic and specific the goal, the more likely you’ll accomplish that written goal. Enjoy this fan favorite!
3. How Do You Keep Your Marriage Hot?
Each year, around my wedding anniversary, I publish a blog post dedicated to my wife and give a little marriage advice along the way. Without the support of my wife, this blog would probably sink without a ripple. It would be added to another long list of hobbies I have never followed through.
In all seriousness, marriage is the one thing that keeps us humble and focused on our leadership skills. Like all jobs and leadership positions, marriage needs consistent and constant communication. Sometimes we miss the mark, but if we’re honest with each other, we’ll find a strong relationship.
2. 3 Reasons Scrivener Will Improve Your Writing.
Over the years in my writing career, I have used a number of different apps and programs to craft my work. But nothing comes even close to the power of writing a book in Scrivener. This robust tool helps you organize your thoughts and allows you to move chapters of your book around without losing the content or the tedious cutting and pasting.
If you want to take you writing to the next level, take a look at this viral blog post. It quickly became a fan favorite and was talked about all over social media. Enjoy!
1. What My Friend Bess Lorance Taught Me About Prayer!
Here we are, the NUMBER ONE blog post of 2016! After the death of my good friend and prayer warrior, Bess Lorance, I decided to write a post dedicated to her legacy of prayer. No other person I know was so motivated by prayer and praying for others than Bess Lorance.
This woman was a warrior and would petition God on our behalf, and God listened. One of the key lessons I learned from her was, prayer is not about getting our way, wants or desires. It’s about connecting with God’s heart. My 84-year-old friend, Bess, understood that prayer is communication with God. That it allows us to understand his heart and to know his ways. But like a conversation among friends, it takes quieting our voice and listening to God speak.
There you have it!
And that’s it for 2016. We’ve said our goodbyes to heartache, a president, businesses, celebrities, and failures. But one thing I know, the future has never been brighter. We each can make a difference in our world, we just have to see the potential before us.
What this past year has taught me, out of the 120 some blog posts I’ve written, I know these 10 have touched the lives of hundreds of readers. I would have it any other way.
May 2017 be filled with new adventures and even better content. May your dreams soar higher this new year than they did last year. Remember as legend singer, Frank Sinatra sang, “The Best is Yet to Come.”
Jason (J.B.) Sisam. Best-selling Amazon author of the Christian Early Reader book, 
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