There are no shortcuts
Sorry to be the one to break this to you. Not sorry.
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE # 196
You've got the spark, right?
You’ve got the ideas, yes?
You’re overflowing with enthusiasm and you’re practically on fire with desire to share your voice with the world, right?
Good thing too.
Just know one thing.
Accept it and embrace it.
Expect it.
Welcome it.
Roll with it.
Learn from it and adjust accordingly.
You are going to struggle and fall and you are going to fail. You may think it won’t happen to you but it will. You are going to crash and burn and that burn is going to sting. The process will take longer than you ever expected it to, and you need to be OK with that.
I get it. You want it all and you want it now.
You're scrolling through social media, you’re seeing newer, less experienced creators explode overnight, and you're thinking, "Why not me? What's the secret?"
Let's cut to the chase: it most certainly can be you, it’s simply that, there are no magic shortcuts.
Forget the "viral hacks," the "secret algorithms," and the promises of instant fame. Those are mirages in the vast desert of content creation.
The truth is, building a meaningful audience and creating impactful content is a marathon, not a sprint.
It's a journey of consistent effort, relentless learning, and unwavering dedication.
And yes, it will be challenging.
You'll spend hours crafting the perfect script, only to see it flop.
You'll pour your heart and soul into a killer video, only to see it receive a handful of views.
You'll face criticism, doubt, and the nagging feeling that you're just throwing content into a bottomless, thankless pit that swallows up your efforts and that belches out silence: crickets.
You’ll do this again and again.
But, failure is not a mistake: it’s an opportunity.
Every screw-up is a chance to regroup, retool, and reframe … an opportunity to examine what went wrong and to fix it so you’ll d better next time.
But, you say, what about shortcuts?
There aren’t any.
Well, there are a few, but they’re not shortcuts in the truest sense of the term.
They’re excuses for avoiding certain steps.
While shortcuts are often sought for efficiency, they frequently become a convenient justification for skipping essential steps in doing the essential work.
This is because we’ve become accustomed to avoiding certain tasks because we think they’re beneath us, or because we think we’re smarter.
We’ve grown fond of prioritizing quick results over quality.
We’ve been hoodwinked into ignoring the importance of each step, so we rationalize our behaviors and actions to avoid accountability.
And we feel pressured by our peers, or by our competitors, or by the constraints of time, resources, and our own personal hurry to get where we think we ought to be, and most importantly, we’ve become familiar with trading quality and safety with quantity and doing the bare minimum to skate by.
Ultimately, shortcuts mask a lack of commitment to processes and thoroughness.
Or, more to the point, anyone offering you a guaranteed, silver bullet, magic ingredient short cut is probably full of crap. Ultimately, shortcuts mean we miss out on a handful of critical lessons and key realizations.
Shortcuts don’t work because of algorithms.
While heavily associated with computer science, algorithms exist in everyday life.
Any time you follow a recipe, give someone directions, or follow a set of instructions, you're using an algorithm.
In its broadest sense an algorithm is a clearly defined set of rules or instructions or procedures that need to happen in a specific sequence in order to make sense and to be effective.
Think of an algorithm as a set of "how-to," steps that outline the actions needed to reach a desired outcome and you’ll get the idea.
The power of staying the course
Building a foundation: Consistent effort allows you to build a solid foundation of skills, knowledge, and a loyal audience.
Developing your voice: Through consistent creation, you'll discover your unique style and perspective.
Long-term growth: Sustainable success comes from long-term commitment, not fleeting virality.
Embrace the grind
Instead of chasing shortcuts, focus on:
Creating valuable content: Focus on providing genuine value to your audience. Solve their problems, entertain them, or educate them.
Consistency: Establish a consistent posting schedule and stick to it.
Learning and adapting: Stay curious, learn from your mistakes, and adapt to the ever-changing landscape of content creation.
Engaging with your audience: Build genuine connections with your viewers and followers.
Patience: Understand that success takes time.
Don't be discouraged by the overnight "success stories" you see online.
Remember, behind every seemingly effortless rise is likely years of hard work and dedication.
The journey of content creation is a rewarding one. It's a chance to share your passion, connect with others, and build something meaningful. But it requires patience, perseverance, and your 100% willingness to stay the course.
So, ditch the shortcut mentality, embrace the grind, and focus on creating content that you're truly proud of. Your audience will thank you for it. And you'll thank yourself in the long run.
As always, thanks for reading.
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P.S. Next time on Shaking the Tree … Notes on the go!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.