I am quite surprised by this! I started this blog with the motivation to get better at writing because one of my bucket list goals is to write a book someday and I want to be good enough to do that.
This is currently the 53rd blog piece I am writing and I can't be happier about it. I see this blog as something of an outlet to the side of my brain that likes to develop and while doing that, help others. I don't know if it really helps others but I definitely feel a different kind of satisfaction when I press the publish button. I am very grateful to all the people who read this and share my thoughts! Okay, You can read this one like an appreciation post. But the good stuff starts now!
Okay, why is all this surprising to me? Good question!
My past experiences with content creation though starting with a passionate excitement turned into "WORK". That led to the pressure of continuous output and hence feeling stressed if it did not go as plan. Something similar happened to my photography account on Instagram and also very recently to my VFX account.
While I go through this with my VFX account, this blog actually showed me light through the tunnel of pressure and stress.
LESSON FROM THE BLOG:
Yesterday, I got a mail that this blog got its 25th subscriber! And I just got super happy!
I was like, "25 people wanna know what I write about! That's so exciting!".
The above words are by the guy who has 1000+ followers on Instagram and like 300+ subscribers on youtube. Then why do I feel the constant pressure of creating stuff for other platforms and feel super upset when I am not able to do so?
Now, we humans have this funny thing called "Expectations". And like in physics, Our expectations have inertia. We tend to have expectations that go on a linear path and they are mostly up. But, sadly life ain't that way. As cliche as it may sound, life is full of ups and downs. Naturally, when the paths don't match we feel that un-ease.
Currently, due to my present growth on other platforms is higher, subconsciously even my expectations are.
My Experience:
I remember being excited for every new follower that I used to get on Instagram. Now, somehow even if I get 10 new ones in a day I don't feel satisfied. I have set this bar in my head that tells me if I do a certain something then only I am worthy of those 1000+ followers. Which has even affected how I actually make videos now.
People say it's not about the followers, But I believe, If you think about those followers as individual people, then it's all about the followers. The reactions that I get from people when they see my videos is why I make them in the first place. But somewhere in the journey, I started seeing the followers as numbers rather than people and that's where I messed up.
Do you see where I am going with this?
This made me realize the true meaning of the phrase "Appreciating the journey", In the end, it's all about the people and not material or numbers, in this case.
How I am keeping up with this?
I think you might have understood what is to be done...But here are a few mindset changes I have done to cope up with this:
Understanding the fact that there are actual people on the other side of those numbers.
Goals should be such that you have complete control over them. Have goals about your output rather than audience growth.
Understanding the fundamental reason why you do this in the first place.
"The reactions that I get from people when they see my videos is why I make them in the first place."
....this is mine. As you can see "The Number of people" is never important.
It's hard, I understand. Even I forget this from time to time. I am writing this blog so that you and I can come back here and read it, whenever we feel low.
Majority of the pressure we feel, The majority of problems that give us stress are imposed by no one but ourselves. The sooner we realize this the better it is for us. And trust me, just knowing this fact doesn't really help. I am one of those people who fail to realize it.
But I am working on it and I hope you are too!
This one was too real for me. I hope you like such a raw vibe to a blog because I have come to know that I like this style! I hope this helps you! If you go through the creator's pressure, you are not alone! If you want, we can talk about it.
Don't forget to subscribe to the blog if you are a new reader.
It means a lot to me!
Cheers!