And so does ProBlogger. And John Chow. Steve Pavlina kicks it hard, then has advice on how to nurse the wound.

Hopefully this advice will hit home to a lot of people getting into blogging because they want to get rich quick. Unless you have a plan that uses catchy headlines, a LOT of social bookmarking and networking, and several linkbait stories (such as the dude who tatooed ShoeMoney’s logo and website on his arm), then it’s not gonna happen captain. You’re gonna have to put your time in and earn your way to the top, so stop expecting to find a shortcut along the way. Even if you read all the sites out there and utilize all the advice that you can absorb, you still have to be yourself and be different.

Have an angle. Be an authority on a subject that isn’t common. Heck, even a good parody such as JohnCow.com is something ‘original’ and different. You don’t have to go to drastic measures to get attention, because as long as you offer something unique and valuable, you will naturally grow. I used to feel the same way about My New Hustle, wanting desperately to garner the attention of anyone willing to listen, but I realized that what I had to offer was indeed unique and different from the mainstream ‘make money online’ site, and thus I watched my readership and visits continue to grow since its birth. The same thing can happen to you, you just have to believe it is possible, then set out a plan to impact the world in your own unique way.

So stop comparing yourself to A-List Bloggers. They exist for a reason: to serve as an inspiration, not competition. They will continue to kick your ass until you have learned enough and given enough to climb your way to the top naturally. Any other way to the top will be short-lived, well, unless you’re this guy:

What’s creepier…the fact that he did it, or the way the guy looks?