There is no reason for me to believe that I can make any kind of meaningful money on social media.
And I still thought to myself, “Why the hell not?” This is the time of viral videos! And with people taking to the roads to vlog their experiences the time seemed absolutely right to become one of them.
My first channel was created on YouTube in November of 2021. Those of you who have been with me from the beginning (you are totally the Cool Kids) will remember that first channel being called The Chasing My Dragon Tour. I filled the internet with cover songs, car wash videos ( who knew that people…and I mean a lot of people..like watching car wash videos), and pretty much anything that I could do to try and figure out what the heck was going to click. And not once did I doubt that the next video was going to go viral.
And to make it worse, some of my videos did very well. Those car wash videos always made me crazy because one would have 1000 views, and another would have 100. I studied analytic reports like they were treasure maps. If a car wash video started with a blue wash color and did well, I did a couple more back to back to see if the numbers held for all blue washes. Then I tested videos with yellow, green, purple, and multicolor to see the if the numbers held for them.
I say that it made it worse, because when the videos did well it just reinforced that I was on the right path. All I had to do was to break through.
I lacked, and still lack, any idea of how to make any of this create income. Other than to sell stuff. And I have made a promise to myself to not do that. I just want to sing, make soap, and hang out with you around the fire. You are always welcome to stop by:
@poundingsandproductions
This is part of an ongoing serial about my life. The previous chapters can be found below:
https://iamphildodd.com/2023/09/23/the-hook/
https://iamphildodd.com/2023/09/27/the-hook-chapter-two/
https://iamphildodd.com/2023/10/07/the-hook-chapter-three/
4 comments
Comment by Anonymous on October 31, 2023 at 12:26 am
Phil, the best advice I got was to not set out to make money being a creator… Just keep being a creator… creating. Very similar advice to what I received in creative writing class. I’ve been told this directly as well as heard it numerous times from different creators in vastly different fields. Even the most specialized of talents out there repeat it.
I know that’s no help. But I felt drawn to share.
Namaste.
Comment by wormdude@gmail.com on October 31, 2023 at 12:35 am
Quite the opposite. Your comment is very helpful! It is that positive fuel that keeps me doing what I do. Thank you very much.
Comment by Anonymous on October 31, 2023 at 2:31 pm
Recently I took a pool lesson from a very talented professional pool player. Her advice was for me to stop focusing on winning, but to focus instead on making every single shot as perfectly and accurately as possible, then move on to the next shot, that’s how you improve your game. I think her advice could also apply to everything we creative,artistic, industrious people strive to achieve.
Comment by wormdude@gmail.com on October 31, 2023 at 7:25 pm
That is very zen. And great advice. Thank you.