Great Content Creators Can Be Sporadic
Why the need for consistency is a myth of the digital age
Life never proceeds in a straight line
Sometimes we’re in. Sometimes we’re out. Sometimes we’re up. Sometimes we’re down.
And sometimes, keeping track of the social media world, content, and the interactions we have online (even with the most fascinating people) is NOT what we want to be doing.
Sometimes we need to go back inside of ourselves to create our best work.
The most interesting people I know are dancing to the beat of their own drum, and NOT making things for the effect they will have on their audience.
If you’ve joined my Instagram course, you know I teach a method called: “A,B,C,D,Q” with the ABC’s being: aesthetic, brand, and consistency. -Jenna Kutcher
Don’t get me wrong. I adore Jenna. She’s a real, hard-working, authentic, creative genius. But I don’t think her advice about consistency should be read as — you need to create content on a daily basis in order to be successful.
No. I think she’s just an efficiency expert who has managed to hire some of the best people in the industry to make it LOOK like she’s working on a daily basis to update her Insta, write her emails, build her swag, and generally promote a very wholesome brand in the digital space.
I’m pretty sure she takes time off.
I’m pretty sure she takes a nap if she wants to.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so interesting. Or engaging.
Daniel Vitalis is another example. His ReWild Yourself podcast was one of my very favorites, until he took hiatus to rebuild something new.
My husband and I were joking that he must have had a baby or something. He hasn’t updated his podcast since 2017, and it was seriously excellent. When I went to do the research — I found that he’s been working behind the scenes to create something totally new.
You know what? As a fan of his work — I’m freaking GLAD he took a break. And I’m certain his new stuff is going to be as good, if not better, than his old.
I Give You Permission!
If this is the month you’ve decided to do a digital detox — do it!
If you just enabled screentime limits on your own phone, not your kids, to manage your time in a more nurturing and healthy way — do it!
If you love Medium, but only come here once in a while because that is what feeds you — do it!
Do not fall into the trap of trying to chase the almighty dollar. Do not prostitute your creativity in search of followers. Do not create if you’d rather take a nap (can you tell I have young kids?) because that nap is going to feed you in a way that forcing yourself to create is not.
It is sure to backfire.
Some of my favorite writers on this platform are downright prolific.
Maybe these fabulous folks are just organized enough to make it LOOK like they’re being consistent. Maybe one day I will get there too.
But one thing I know for sure is that these people create content BECAUSE they love to write. Not because they’re SUPPOSED to write.
Here’s a hilarious piece from my all-time favorite John Gorman about the “social media off season” that captures the essence of screen-time management for adults.
To Love Yourself, Live Your Life with YOU at the Top of Mind. Sometimes Ignoring the World is the Only Way.
So dear creative friend, think about this. What is it that makes your writing interesting? What makes a compelling video? Where did you learn the things that make creating an online course a workable thing in the first place?
I can bet it wasn’t with someone else in mind.
I can bet that your peak experiences, learning opportunities, and all the things that enrich your life were not experienced thinking about how the hell you were going to write about it to grow your follower count.
No. You were probably present. With yourself. And no one else.
As you should have been.
Stop letting the internet run your life
It’s time to put down the phone. Unplug the computer. Wander into the world and experience some amazing shit.
Reflect on something that happened to you. Happened to your loved ones. Happened to the world. Take some time. Drink a cup of coffee or tea, and take your time.
Ignore the pressure to make money with your creative arts. If your work is good enough — the money will come. But you can’t fake it. It’s not an orgasm.
You will learn that it’s not worth it to fake it. You will learn that it’s more important to feel what you need to feel, as opposed to feel because you are supposed to be feeling. It’s more fulfilling to say, “no thanks,” until you really get there.
And when you get there — the results will come — but only if you are in your flow. Only when you do this will you even be able to let content flow in such a way that it WILL engage the people you want to speak to.
You will influence those that want to be influenced, because your work will be REAL.
Like the Velveteen Rabbit, our lives become real ONLY when we love them enough. And trust me, our audience can tell the difference.
#onelove
