Becoming a content creator is not for the weak of heart or shallow of mind.
It requires consistent and compelling content over long periods that begin from those beautiful ideas in your brain.
The success recipe is plug and play and has been proven time and time again.
Why most do not achieve success is because they do not begin with the right end in mind.
They begin with dollar signs, numbers of followers, and the false belief that by creating content stardom, life and financial success will soon arise.
Many creators begin, but then quit when they are three feet away from gold because it’s not as quick and easy as they had believed it would be.
If most, in that quitting moment, could look at the difficulty of
- Learning a Language
- Mastering an Instrument
- Becoming an effective mentor
and compare the amount of energy, time, and money they have put into their content creator journey at that stage:
They would then clearly see that they are still wearing diapers on this path to adulthood mastery of becoming a content creator.
Like building anything worthwhile, it requires time, skills, systems, and the ability to manage resources.
It is not difficult, but it is not easy. The process is simple, but perseverance is key.
Perseverance in what?
Learning the five words every successful content creator soon has to realize and commit to,
- I Am a Media Company
It sounds overwhelming, but what you will learn in this post is 1. Successful media companies only do one thing and 2. The five foundations to accomplish content creator success without running out of money or becoming burnt out.
You can DIY this successful content creator journey, it is more straightforward than you think.
Here’s how.
A Successful Media Company Does One Thing
The phrase content creator in a successful content creator’s mind: falls short.
The one thing that successful media companies do is they create and publish media.
A successful content creator has learned this is their job as well. Shipping the work is what one of the best content leaders of our time, Seth Godin, calls it.
The difference between creating and publishing is the difference between
- Planning a garden and planting
- Watching football and playing
- Learning music theory and practicing
- Reading fitness magazines and exercise
- Making a book list and reading
- Ideas and Actualizing
A video you’ve recorded on your phone is created media; it accomplishes nothing staying on your phone.
A podcast recorded on a portable recorder or computer is only a hope until it is published.
A blog written in a Google Doc is merely journaling unless it is added to your website.
In addition to this shift from ideas to publishing, successful content creators have laid these five foundations.
5 Fundamental Shifts for Successful Content Creators
The Business of Time
Creating content is something you do from your body; what you do with your body is determined by how you spend your time.
Time is one of the three most powerful assets under the stewardship of your body.
If your time is wayward – challenging to control or predict – there is no chance of publishing consistent media.
Wayward time was the story of my life until I stumbled into a morning routine I loved by learning how to wake up early every day.
When you direct the first minutes of your day for your life, instead of someone else’s goals, everything changes.
A media company shows up and works at the same time every workday, or specified time for each day, and publishes media to meet a deadline.
A successful content creator has determined what days and times she creates content and what days and times are for publishing.
Focus on Systems Instead of Vanity Metric
The only target a successful content creator aims for is, I’m going to publish eight blogs per month, or 12 videos per month, a measurable metric instead of a vanity metric.
Successful media companies build systems and focus on tangibles they can control instead of numbers outside of their control.
A successful creator has learned the steps and pieces needed to create and publish media.
- A keyword or topic for the blog, podcast, or YouTube video
- An outline
- Supporting points
- Create the content
- Add a title, description, thumbnail, and all the necessary pieces
These are all well-oiled stations, systems in a factory that creates and ships content. Over time, methods that improve quality and efficiency make your newest published content better than your last.
You are taking a locomotive from parked to in motion, and it takes effort and time to achieve momentum.
But when momentum is achieved, it is almost unstoppable.
Eliminate Desperation and Scarcity
Desperation and scarcity will radiate from every word in a blog, social media post, or video when it is inside you.
Like attracts like, right? But more than that, desperation and scarcity can be felt a mile away. You have experienced this from salespersons that need to make a sale to keep the lights on.
You don’t know what it is; you know something is off, and adverse emotion is felt inside.
If you sat down to watch a movie, tv show, or other media and all you received were sales pitches and commercials, you would leave or change the channel.
So many content creators, because of desperation and scarcity, always publish commercials about their products, goods, and services.
It is tough not to embody this poverty mindset when there is a legitimate financial need.
The trick is to eradicate the next element of becoming a successful content publisher.
Dethrone Givers Gain
The knock your socks off content creators, give without expecting anything in return.
When you wake up every day with this question on your mind, “What will help my audience the most today?” you’ve won.
Successful content creators commit to serving instead of giving to get.
And you know what they say,
Give and you shall receive.
But when the focus is on the receiving, you lose.
So have the heart of a mother or a father that gives, not a givers gain mentality of a salesman.
Plan for Long-Term Success
Because of the many marketers selling shiny objects with compelling copywriting, there is a permeated belief that internet marketing can be a fast way to make money.
Yes, you can make some money fast, but media business plans for significant returns on investment in 3-5 years, not after posting 3-5 pieces of content.
If playing the piano, learning french, or getting into the NFL were simple, everyone would be doing them.
Business success, content creator success, making beautiful pottery, or anything else worthwhile is not achieved fast.
Successful content creators have found something inside that pushes them through the many dips that occur. It is on the back end of persevering through these lows where success can then emerge.
Stick to hitting your publishing goals this week and do that for three to five years, and with this long term vision in mind, success will emerge.
Focus on What Matters and Everything Else
When you focus on what matters, everything else falls into place.
Publishing content is connecting with a human soul. What matters is how they interact and respond, how they engage.
A like, heart, or follow says little. A meaningful comment or email says the most.
How do you earn meaningful comments and create true fans?
- Make each new piece of content better than your last
- Improve your systems to keep the quality but increase in publishing speed
- Determine and commit to a consistent schedule
- Publish content on a routine that improves, elevates, and stewards a soul.
You have a unique and needed conversation to bring to the table. Your content will be successful when you focus on what matters.