I Got My 100 Followers. Now What?
5 important lessons I learned after hitting the 100-mark
The Coveted 100
I hit 100 followers a couple of weeks ago! While I felt (and still feel) accomplished, there’s a gap between my feelings in the moment, and what I feel now.
As many of you know, getting your first 100 followers (one of the requirements to be eligible for the Medium Partner Program) can be challenging. Fortunately, I was able to do this within 2 weeks.
This didn’t come easy.
In fact, I developed a bit of a Medium obsession.
I admit that Medium was the first thing I checked when I woke up, and was often the last thing I checked before shutting my phone off at night. I commented over 300 times. I clapped and clapped some more. And I followed others.
The work paid off relatively quickly — I was elated when I hit the 100 followers mark. But now that I’ve surpassed the 100 followers mark, what’s next?
A Shift In Perspective
Since getting my 100 followers, I’ve realized a few things:
- It’s important to set limits. Medium is cool, but it’s essential not to get too sucked in.
- Followers aren’t all that significant. Sure, there’s a follower threshold for the Medium Partner Program, but after reaching 100 there are more valuable metrics.
- Reading time is key. I pat myself on the back when I see my stories getting over 50% reading time. For those that don’t, I devise a plan to improve my writing.
- I ain’t rich. I’ve got a few dollars building up, but I’m not expecting to be making 100’s (at least for now).
- Balancing consumption and creation is key. When I was “obsessed” with Medium I was voraciously reading stories. Now, I’ve toned it down — I’m a busy grad student, anyway. Moving forward, I’ll produce more than I consume.
Takeaway
Hitting your 100 followers is a tremendous milestone, but it doesn’t end there. Just because you’re eligible to make money, doesn’t mean you’ll be making enough to quit your job. Focus on creating digestible content that gets — and keeps — readers.
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