What You Need to Know How I Made $1663.72 in 120 Days on Medium

And you don’t need to buy my course, I don’t intend to make one, but you can read the rest of my story.

July Bonus is out.

Let’s get the cat out of the bag, and this isn’t a humblebrag, but I am back to being on the top 1,000 Medium writers’ list. I got the $500 bonus!

I nailed it. In all the four months that Medium gave out a writing bonus, I received a bonus.

April — $500

May — $100

June — $50

July — $500

Arigato, Money.

So why did I feel defeated in July?

It could be from disappointment, too many expectations, self-doubt, and a bad case of impostor syndrome.

When I looked at my Medium Partner Program earnings, I already did reach a milestone in July 2021 — I made over $1000. I made $1,075.29 over four years.

Yes, you read that right.

I was an early adopter of the Medium Partner Program way back in August 2017.

I doubted myself and quit before I even tried.

“A lesson or takeaway from reading this story is that when you quit, you surrender the battle even before it started.”

Do I feel some regret?

Yes, big mistake, huge, right Medium?

But instead of being grateful, I didn’t even celebrate the milestone. Earning over $1,000 by doing something I would have done for free is a gift from the Universe.

But, it is never late to be grateful and be forgiving of oneself. We can always atone for our mistakes. It is never too late.

Today, I am shouting to the heavens that I am sorry for being ungrateful, and I am very grateful for the money that has come my way through writing.

I only write here on Medium.

The last 120 days

When I first received the $500 writing bonus in April, it was a big surprise. Unexpected. I didn’t do anything different. I wrote stories that I felt I need to write.

April Member List Bonus — $500.00

A one-time bonus for receiving high member engagement

And then, ehem, some writers complained after, then Medium changed the rules, and I always tell myself — play by the rules, because when you play by the rules and win, the victory is sweeter than honey.

In May, from being one of the top 1,000 writers, I received $100 for being one of the top 1,500 writers, and when I was expecting more, in June, I received $50 for being one of the top 2,000 writers.

I started obsessing about it, yes, about the money, and my competitive self got the better of me.

I wanted to win, so bad that I began to feel sad and defeated when my stats from July 1–17 were even lower from what it was in June.

I panicked, is it time to quit?

Quit or Fight?

I am beginning to fear that failure is just around the corner and that the year that I have been tirelessly writing almost every day will be a time wasted because the truth is I need to start earning money.

Ever since my Mom passed, my siblings are helping me financially, but I am 52, and while I appreciate their love, I need to restart my life because that is what Mom wants for me.

I didn’t quit, I double downed and started my writing challenge — 100 stories, in 10 days.

Final thoughts

Writing like Life is a journey of your own. It is personal, and while some would say they have the “secret formula” in making money on Medium.

The truth is there is only one “secret” and that is to write.

I will not say go — write 100 stories in 10 days but find your writing challenge.

You will be surprised at what is waiting for you at the end, and be kind to yourself even if you don’t finish your challenge.

“You can always start a new one.”

Luck

Is there luck involved 😺? I will not discount luck, but again it is more about when you are ready to receive the miracles put in trust for you, or fate, the Universe will conspire and give what is good for you, and not what you want because usually, they are not the same.

It will never happen to me.

Hey, when I started here, I wrote one story, and when I started getting paid, I received $1.66.

I have 720 followers. I have been rejected a few times by major publications, and even that experience led me to self-publish my stories, another tip for every Medium writer.

My viral story — How to Lose 20 Pounds in 30 Days without Exercise like Tim Ferris was self-published in my small publication, which because of that story, now has 40 followers.

The story was personal. If that is also part of the “secret formula,” be free to copy it;

stay true to yourself.

All I wish to say is that when you feel you are about to quit, remember there is one writer who started with nothing and is enjoying the fruits of his labor.

I know not every day will be a good day.

There will be days when we feel we would run out of writing prompts.

But, still, even when that happens, it is because that is where you needed to be. To remind you that life isn’t all about writing, being in front of the laptop, and feel enslaved to earn money online.

That life is also about looking at the sky, be mesmerized by nature, be grateful, and even enjoy your cup of coffee.