Summary

The article outlines a four-step process for becoming a successful creator, emphasizing the importance of consistent effort over time.

Abstract

The path to becoming a thriving creator is presented in the article through four essential steps. It begins with identifying a skill that addresses a market need, such as video editing, which is in high demand and can be learned quickly. The second step involves choosing the right platform to showcase one's work, whether it's Medium for writers or GitHub for coders. The third step is to establish a clear 'why' behind the creative pursuit, which serves as a source of motivation and direction. The final and most crucial step is to commit to the process and create content consistently for at least a year, as success in creative fields often requires persistence and dedication.

Opinions

The author believes that the internet's continuous growth makes it an opportune time to become a creator.
Success as a creator is attributed to following simple steps and maintaining consistent effort, rather than any complex strategy.
The article suggests that addressing a pain point for others can be a lucrative opportunity for aspiring creators.
It is implied that finding one's 'why' is instrumental in pushing through the challenges of content creation.
The author emphasizes that while the journey to success is difficult, enjoying the process makes it easier to stay committed.
The author shares personal experience to underscore the effectiveness of their proposed steps, indicating a belief in the practicality of their advice.
The article concludes with a strong endorsement for relentless creation, suggesting that frequency of

Be a Thriving Creator With 3 Easy But One Tough Step

Your life can change a year from now.

If you think it’s too late to be a creator, ask yourself — is the internet growing or going? I don’t think it’s going to stop growing anytime soon, and there isn’t a better time to get started.

Being a creator — whether it’s a full-time writer or a part-time YouTuber isn’t that complicated.

On the contrary, it felt ten times easier than my corporate job where I’d put on music, so I didn’t faze out while data crunching.

There is no complicated reason behind successful creators or side-hustlers, but they just followed these simple three steps and one hard one.

Funnily, it’s the last one, which is why so many people don’t make it. But isn’t that an opportunity for you to make it, then?

Step 1: What

What are you going to do?

YouTuber Ali Abdaal says,

If you don’t know what to do just start with video editing. It takes under 4 hours to learn and is high in demand.

The reason is — it’s a pain in the @r$e (my words, not his). A pain point for somebody else is an opportunity for you.

Those who find videos painful to edit can outsource them to you. Plus, big YouTubers don’t have the time to spend hours editing, so they’re more than happy to outsource.

Now, this is just a random example. The internet has a plethora of opportunities. The best part? There is enough material available for free already.

To do: Find a skill, learn that skill.

Step 2: Where

When I started writing a year ago, I knew Medium is a place for me to start.

Six months later, I tried my hand at LinkedIn to build a presence. And four months after that, I started experimenting with Twitter because I heard writers hang out there often.

For somebody who wants a coding side hustle, GitHub could be your go-to platform to showcase your skills. For designers, it’s Behance.

Doing the right thing on the right platform matters. Had I started a WordPress blog instead, I would’ve spent lots of time learning SEO and marketing my blog posts instead of just creating.

To do: Find a place on the internet to hang out in. Try not to be in too many places at once.

Step 3: Why

This isn’t necessary but will help you stay motivated, strategise, and push through, even when you don’t want to.

Here’s a simple exercise I did. Ask yourself “why” five times and it’ll reveal the magical answer, which, for me, was my purpose.

Statement: I want to be a full-time writer

Why? It’s fun and I enjoy it.
Why? It comes naturally to me.
Why? I always have a lot to say.
Why? I read and experiment a lot, and want to help others with that knowledge and experience.
Why? I want to help people be healthier and happier.

Now, I started a new venture recently to help writers become consistent. For that, my “why” has become to help writers be more consistent and ace online writing.

Your “why” can keep changing, and there can be multiple why’s for multiple goals. It was my zeal to help people that got me on the keyboard to type even when I didn’t want to.

To do: Whatever your goal is, ask yourself why five times to get a one-line statement that motivates you.

Step 4: Without This, Nothing Else Matters

If you do all the above and skip this, it’ll be a tough ride, buddy. To be what you want to be, you have to do what's required.

I’d say — do it for a year, relentlessly.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. — Robert Collier

I know I know, it’s bloody difficult.

Tell me, if we could become successful writers and YouTubers by publishing one piece of content a month, won’t everybody be Pew Dee Pie?

You can either crib about the odds being stacked against you, or do the work it requires. The second option will sharpen your skill with practice and give you an edge over others.

This is where most people slack. They start new years with resolutions but give up when three months later they don’t see any results.

Pro tip: Do something you enjoy so it’s easy to keep at it.

You probably won’t see results for six months, but keep at it.

To do: Create for a year.

Lastly

This isn’t out of a notebook or Elon Musk’s advice, but what I’ve implied in my own journey.

I have been a creator who published 2 articles a month and a creator who published 20 articles a month. Now, I’m a creator who publishes 20 articles, 200+ tweets, and 15+ LinkedIn posts a month.

Guess which creator is winning?

You answered it, not me.

Want to build a side hustle and make money online? Click here for my free ebook.

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