My Journey To 50k!!
How an introverted Software Engineer gets millions of views (4.5M+)
As I reflect on reaching this amazing milestone, I think about my journey. The ups and downs. Questioning myself and my ability to speak to others through a camera. My shaky voice and awkward hands in the early videos. Wondering if I am good enough or have enough to share with others.
I have been approached by people wondering how I did it. If you have any of the aforementioned questions or concerns, here is your answer: you ARE good enough and you CAN do this. Without going into too much detail, here are the 4 key areas.
Consistency
Hard work
Perseverance
Self-awareness
Consistency
Much like software engineering, if you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards. You have to be consistent in the amount of content, quality of content and type of content you produce. You cannot slow down on the number of times you post or people will disengage and no longer watch or participate in your content. You have to consistently continue to grow.
Hard Work
This might sound cliché. However, all of the points here require hard work and determination to achieve successfully. It takes time and effort to continue to grow your audience and to open up and grow WITH them.
Perseverance
Similar to most things in life, there are a lot of highs and lows. You have to find ways to persevere through the hard times. When you put yourself out there for others to see there will be hard times. The world is brutal especially when people can take cover behind their screens. Persevere and it will get better. The highlights are worth every one of the darkest times.
Self-Awareness
If you know me, you’ve probably heard me talk about self-awareness. While it is important in all aspects of life, it is extremely important in the context of content creation. When approached with different scenarios it is crucial to be aware of your feelings and the direction you desire to take your brand. Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture before responding. When approached with a combative comment, most of the time the first reaction is more of a fight or flight response. Seeing as I also work for a horse racing organization, I am willing to gamble that you do not want your content to be known for being negative or combative. Take a breath and look for ways to lift people up and help teach others from your experiences. Stay positive! If you would like ideas for positivity, I always recommend The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor as a great place to start.