Summary

The article discusses common misconceptions and unnecessary pursuits among content creators, emphasizing that success comes from consistent work and personal growth rather than chasing money, overnight success, or comparing oneself to others.

Abstract

The author, a creator for several months, shares insights on the creator economy, highlighting that aspiring creators often focus on the wrong things. These include the pursuit of instant knowledge, the desire for overnight success, the temptation to compare oneself with others, and an excessive focus on making money. The article argues that creators should instead prioritize starting their journey and learning along the way, being consistent, and building genuine relationships. It suggests that money will follow as a by-product of valuable work and that a bigger audience does not equate to a better one. The author encourages creators to focus on personal growth, maintaining their values, and understanding that everyone's journey is unique.

Opinions

The author believes that the best approach to becoming a successful creator is to start creating and learn through experience rather than seeking to know everything in advance.
Overnight success is debunked as a myth; true success comes from consistent effort and showing up even when not inspired.
The author advises against playing the comparison game, as it only leads to ego clashes and does not contribute to genuine growth or success.
Money should not be the primary motivation for creators; focusing on providing value will naturally lead to financial rewards over time.
The article emphasizes the importance of helping others and building relationships within the creator community, as these can lead to unexpected support and opportunities.
The author reassures readers that it's never too late to start as a creator and that persistence through rejections can lead to good outcomes.
The author encourages creators to align their work with their values and purpose, suggesting that this alignment is key to fulfillment and success in the creator economy.

4 Things Creators Chase But Don’t Have To

Money will come your way without doing this.

It’s the best time to be a creator. With more people realising the value of time over certainity, we have more side hustlers and the great resignation is real.

Of course, as always, there are plenty of people who call it shit. They’re dissing people who talk about multiple income streams or calling them lazy to quit their 9–5 to do something of their own. But it’s always those below you who’ll pull you down.

I’ve been a creator for a few months. No, I’m not a six-figure income creator with 35 income streams who has a course on how to make money online.

But I am where I aspired to be a year ago, living the self-employed freedom lifestyle and genuinely doing the work I enjoy.

Here are a few things I see aspiring creators chase and I did as well, until I realised I don’t have to.

You don’t either.

Knowing It All

One sentence advice — start, and figure it out later.

I thought I wanted to be a freelancer and live the lifestyle where you carry your laptop everywhere and have an independent life.

But now I’ve limited my freelance services and am moving into ‘creator mode’, something I didn’t even feel capable of doing 6 months ago.

My first 50 articles were shit. Now that I’ve published over 250, I feel my first 200 articles are ‘beginner’ articles. This is what growth does to do. You sharpen your saw bit by bit everyday.

I didn’t start a course until I created a free ebook. I invested in a LinkedIn course and actually then ran a free cohort for 3 weeks to see if I can provide results.

One thing was a by-product of a previous action.

Focus on being consistent and curious, and let your path unfold.

Start, and figure it out later.

The Hunger For Overnight Success

The more you ‘do’, the more you’ll be in the right place at the right time — the sweet spot where opportunity pays a visit.

You can go viral overnight. I did, twice on LinkedIn.

But here’s what goes behind that ‘overnight success’:

Publishing consistently
Putting in the work even with nobody consuming it
Showing up when you‘re not ‘inspired’

Sometimes people randomly get famous too, we can’t deny that.

But you can increase your chances of ‘luck’ by showing up more often. The more you ‘do’, the more you’ll be in the right place at the right time — the sweet spot where opportunity pays a visit.

Playing This Stupid Game

Somebody new will come by and grow more quickly.

Somebody with fewer followers than you will suddenly get a few thousand more than you.

Somebody else will build the same thing faster that took you months or years, and it’ll hurt your ego.

Put that damn ego away. There’s no space for it.

I’ve seen successful creators grow by helping others and giving a lot for free. Even for my ebook, I had two creators who sent it to their mailing list.

Both have over 10x audience than I do and gain nothing in return. They just wanted to help, and I had built a relationship with them to ask for help.

Don’t play the comparison game, you’ll only hurt yourself.

Plus, always know that a bigger audience doesn’t mean a better audience. Numbers are… just numbers.

Making Money

There’s simply too much around it on the internet.

Some talk about running a six-figure business without revealing if they’re even profitable. So here’s the truth.

Can you make money? Yes.

Can you make a lot of money? Yes.

Is it easy? I wish.

Just like anything else, it takes time and a lot of effort. And the best (or worst) part is that money won’t even be a primary motivation for you if you’re focused on putting out value, which has its own beauty.

I’d recommend freelance on the side to make bucks. That's what enabled me to quit my 9–5, get additional sources of income, and meet some great clients who mentored me.

Lastly

You’re not too late.

You’re not insignificant.

This isn’t a place only for a few special people.

It’s welcome to all with an easy barrier to entry. After all, all you need is your laptop and internet connection. But it’ll just take a lot of time and rejections. Stay through that, and good things will happen.

Stay true to your values and be aligned with your purpose.

I am where I wanted to be a year ago just by reading the journeys of other people and learning from them like you are.

Best of luck!

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