Progress Thread // Accountability

[Tomco]

I have been hesitant to start a progress thread on this forum for a while now. But after beating around the bush for some time, I decided to commit and go in (Thank you @Spenny for the motivation )

My Experiences and what I have learned so far:

I joined the forum in January, posted the usual intro and then disappeared, like many of the forum users. The time in between was spent action faking and lurking, thinking I had blockbuster ideas, trying them out and quitting after a couple of weeks. I always felt like I’m running around in circles and not getting anywhere, which, after reading Chapter 28 in Unscripted , I realized I wasn’t activating the feedback loop.

Also, @Andy Black helped me realize how I got all wrong. I was focusing too much on what to build and how, and I forgot who to help and why.

With this in mind, I decided to integrate more with the market, or put simply, being more active. I gravitated towards YouTube since that was where I consumed the most content from.

I already had a channel going, but I was just uploading for the sake of taking action – sometimes even the wrong action is an action fake.

So I looked into why my channel sucked. Didn’t need to look far, I was just recording a video of me talking and putting it up. This brought in no views. So I researched a bit more and ended up improving on the title and thumbnail. This brought in a night and day difference in views, although watch time is still low. Next step would be to make video more entertaining, perhaps some visual edits, although I don’t want to go into that route of heavily edited videos (think James Jani) for the simple reason that I don’t like those types of videos.

Now that I’m writing this out, I realized, it’s not what I like and want, it’s what the market wants. So perhaps I’ll try my hand in an edited vid, see the reaction of it.

I also tried my hand in uploading shorts. Again, impressive results; One short got more views then two of my full effort vids. But views and metrics are just numbers on the screen, I need to interact more.

I was thinking of implementing an email list in the description of the videos. The reasoning: get potential fans into something I own, while building a relationship with them

What I’m planning to do:

Research more into video editing skills (right now I use the free service Clip Champ), look into building an email list, and poke the cat a bit more so to speak, as I still have no idea what or how, but my idea is to build an audience and then move on from there.

I know YouTube isn’t CENTS certified (no control, easy entry, no particular demand for it), but I’ll use it as a vehicle to get me in front of potential clients. I see it as a steppingstone, albeit a risky one. YouTube is too saturated? Yeah, I’ll decide.

As of yet, I am not inclined to spread around on other platforms since I don’t know frequent them that much and their addictive nature, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it yet (I don’t use any social media platform), perhaps when the channel is grown.

So for next time (for myself):

• Look into better video editing
• Look into email lists
• Maintain a regular upload schedule
• Act until echo (comments on vids)

Still don't know if this is the way forward for me, but to sum it up, I just want to see what the market wants and this is what I thought up of as of now.

Any comments are greatly appreciated and thank you for reading, and until next time.

 

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[Spenny]

You've taken the steps towards something, that's superb! Come back and make this a weekly thing, keep yourself accountable. Plus it acts as a good measure to see if you're just spinning your wheels or getting somewhere.

I don't know much about YouTube and how to make engaging content, perhaps my mate @AlexYega can give some top tips? He's been doing well with YouTube.

 

[Nostalgia]

I have been hesitant to start a progress thread on this forum for a while now. But after beating around the bush for some time, I decided to commit and go in (Thank you @Spenny for the motivation )

My Experiences and what I have learned so far:

I joined the forum in January, posted the usual intro and then disappeared, like many of the forum users. The time in between was spent action faking and lurking, thinking I had blockbuster ideas, trying them out and quitting after a couple of weeks. I always felt like I’m running around in circles and not getting anywhere, which, after reading Chapter 28 in Unscripted , I realized I wasn’t activating the feedback loop.

Also, @Andy Black helped me realize how I got all wrong. I was focusing too much on what to build and how, and I forgot who to help and why.

With this in mind, I decided to integrate more with the market, or put simply, being more active. I gravitated towards YouTube since that was where I consumed the most content from.

I already had a channel going, but I was just uploading for the sake of taking action – sometimes even the wrong action is an action fake.

So I looked into why my channel sucked. Didn’t need to look far, I was just recording a video of me talking and putting it up. This brought in no views. So I researched a bit more and ended up improving on the title and thumbnail. This brought in a night and day difference in views, although watch time is still low. Next step would be to make video more entertaining, perhaps some visual edits, although I don’t want to go into that route of heavily edited videos (think James Jani) for the simple reason that I don’t like those types of videos.

Now that I’m writing this out, I realized, it’s not what I like and want, it’s what the market wants. So perhaps I’ll try my hand in an edited vid, see the reaction of it.

I also tried my hand in uploading shorts. Again, impressive results; One short got more views then two of my full effort vids. But views and metrics are just numbers on the screen, I need to interact more.

I was thinking of implementing an email list in the description of the videos. The reasoning: get potential fans into something I own, while building a relationship with them

What I’m planning to do:

Research more into video editing skills (right now I use the free service Clip Champ), look into building an email list, and poke the cat a bit more so to speak, as I still have no idea what or how, but my idea is to build an audience and then move on from there.

I know YouTube isn’t CENTS certified (no control, easy entry, no particular demand for it), but I’ll use it as a vehicle to get me in front of potential clients. I see it as a steppingstone, albeit a risky one. YouTube is too saturated? Yeah, I’ll decide.

As of yet, I am not inclined to spread around on other platforms since I don’t know frequent them that much and their addictive nature, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it yet (I don’t use any social media platform), perhaps when the channel is grown.

So for next time (for myself):

• Look into better video editing
• Look into email lists
• Maintain a regular upload schedule
• Act until echo (comments on vids)

Still don't know if this is the way forward for me, but to sum it up, I just want to see what the market wants and this is what I thought up of as of now.

Any comments are greatly appreciated and thank you for reading, and until next time.

What niche are you deciding to get into?

 

[AlexYega]

You've taken the steps towards something, that's superb! Come back and make this a weekly thing, keep yourself accountable. Plus it acts as a good measure to see if you're just spinning your wheels or getting somewhere.

I don't know much about YouTube and how to make engaging content, perhaps my mate @AlexYega can give some top tips? He's been doing well with YouTube.

Glad to see another person interested in YouTube lol. I wouldn't say I'm doing well, but I'm definitely committed to it.

I think the main piece of advice is that you need to actually enjoy making videos or just have a higher purpose than just making money.

YouTube takes a long time (>2 years) for 99% of people to actually see any results so you should be doing it to serve a purpose you believe in or else you won't last the 2 years.

I think you already know this, but I just wanted to emphasize it since there's probably much more straightforward, faster ways to make money plus being an influencer is quite different to being a CEO.

Instead of being at the top of the pyramid where you don't actually need to work everyday, you sit at the bottom. MrBeast can't be MrBeast without MrBeast lol.

It is "saturated" I guess which is why the people that are in it for the money won't last since they won't last the minimum of 2 years of consistent effort it needs.

Here's my main actual tip:

Focus on quantity not quality (unless you have previous filmmaking experience). Make as many videos as possible right now and improve them each time, whether its thumbnails, flow, music, cinematography, retention, etc.

Execution is what matters most on YouTube, too many people just overthink what they should do. Just make the videos.

This is all general advice you'll kind of hear anywhere, but here's my personal take on where I think social media is going.

I think we're taking a turn from the sort of soulless content that YouTube is right now where retention is prioritized. MrBeast's era of constant retention, bigger stunts, constant over-editing is kind of getting old.

People want connection and authenticity. If you can build an audience that actually connects with you as a person (Hamza and Ryan Trahan are good examples), your successfully building a brand.

Oh yeah also try to use short-form (YouTube shorts, Instagram, Tiktok) for attracting your target audience, then use long-form to keep them in/make them invested in you as a brand.

Hope that helped, good luck!

 

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[Tomco]

Thanks for your replies guys!

Come back and make this a weekly thing, keep yourself accountable. Plus it acts as a good measure to see if you're just spinning your wheels or getting somewhere.

Yep, will try to keep a routine out of it.

What niche are you deciding to get into?

Still haven't figured this one out, that's the point of this thread. I guess like poking the cat and waiting for a meow, so to speak.

I think the main piece of advice is that you need to actually enjoy making videos or just have a higher purpose than just making money.

Yes, absolutely, and not only for YouTube per se. I fell into the trap of following the hot new trends and what others tell you is working right now, without any meaning and purpose behind my actions. Now I think I found out a higher purpose, that of helping people. I just don't know how yet specifically, hence the point of this thread.

MrBeast can't be MrBeast without MrBeast

This actually makes more sense then it seems hahaha

Focus on quantity not quality (unless you have previous filmmaking experience). Make as many videos as possible right now and improve them each time, whether its thumbnails, flow, music, cinematography, retention, etc.

Exactly, not churning out videos for the sake of it, but using them as a stepping stone for your next one. Learned this the hard way, where I was uploading daily for the sake of 'taking action' but ended up with no results. Decided instead to consistently upload at least once a week, where some element changes from the previous.

Ah I see you know about Hamza as well. What's your take on him?
Personally, I was addicted to his videos for a while, so I view him in a bit of a negative light...
Also good luck on your journey as well @AlexYega!

 

[Spenny]

Ah I see you know about Hamza as well. What's your take on him?

Got me to read millionaires fastlane, which lead me to flf, but remember he's guy that spent his uni sleeping around and partying. He's now built and empire by tapping into self improvement and memes put together, kudos to him.

Some parts are great others not so, chasing short term flings & being manipulative gets someone nowhere, you just become trash. It only satisfies our inner hedon. Also selling a £997 course on becoming a gym monster is well overpriced for the value provided.

I think the problem with it is that it's an easy action fake. It's too simple to watch and watch and watch and do nothing. Then people pay the next level up to feel like they're doing something. I've seen people go through this exact process.

 

[Nostalgia]

Got me to read millionaires fastlane, which lead me to flf, but remember he's guy that spent his uni sleeping around and partying. He's now built and empire by tapping into self improvement and memes put together, kudos to him.

Some parts are great others not so, chasing short term flings & being manipulative gets someone nowhere, you just become trash. It only satisfies our inner hedon. Also selling a £997 course on becoming a gym monster is well overpriced for the value provided.

I think the problem with it is that it's an easy action fake. It's too simple to watch and watch and watch and do nothing. Then people pay the next level up to feel like they're doing something. I've seen people go through this exact process.

I went through a good couple of months being absolutely obsessed with him - it felt like he had all the answers and from there, honestly, felt like I was mind controlled.

Obsessively watching him, Obsessively following him. I'm very glad to be out of that now, and I don't watch him anymore. But I am insanely grateful for discovering him as now I incorporate mediation, gratitude journaling and working out in my daily routine. But once you have the pillars done and the mindset, you really don't need to continue watching him, as you said, it's an action fake.

 

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[Tomco]

Got me to read millionaires fastlane, which lead me to flf, but remember he's guy that spent his uni sleeping around and partying. He's now built and empire by tapping into self improvement and memes put together, kudos to him.

Some parts are great others not so, chasing short term flings & being manipulative gets someone nowhere, you just become trash. It only satisfies our inner hedon. Also selling a £997 course on becoming a gym monster is well overpriced for the value provided.

I think the problem with it is that it's an easy action fake. It's too simple to watch and watch and watch and do nothing. Then people pay the next level up to feel like they're doing something. I've seen people go through this exact process.

I went through a good couple of months being absolutely obsessed with him - it felt like he had all the answers and from their, honestly, felt like I was mind controlled.

Obsessively watching him, Obsessively following him. I'm very glad to be out of that now, and I don't watch him anymore. But I am insanely grateful for discovering him as now I incorporate mediation, gratitude journaling and working out in my daily routine. But once you have the pillars done and the mindset, you really don't need to continue watching him, as you said, it's an action fake.

Exactly! It's a relief to hear others have similar opinions on this.

I think what's making him famous is people's insecurities. Get a bunch of teens who are going through puberty, get them on this journey of self-improvement and set it up in a way that, everyone else not going through the same journey is an enemy. Lo and behold, you end up being isolated and getting more attracted to what he offers. Vicious cycle.

But, he managed to make huge success and climb out of whatever hell he was living in, so mad respect to that. Just don't evangelize his content yeah?

I discovered flf through some random comment on a Youtube vid on "Top 10 books to read" or something like that, so at least not through Hamza. I learned how to quit consuming social media through him, so that's something to be grateful for.

 

[Spenny]

I think what's making him famous is people's insecurities.

This goes a lot deeper than just Hamza. It's a whole web, the manosphere.

"Hamza has big muscles & so much confidence, I want that"

"Tate has so many cars and a nice house overseas, I want that"

"Rollo Tomasi has a great (lmao) way of approaching women, I want to be a rational male."

They give you answers & you have a lot of veils pulled away from your questions to reveal answers.

Key stage is the next bit: where do you direct your energy?

Being angry and going down the black pill route?
Going full MGTOW and "monk mode".
Binging right wing content, blaming feminists for all of your short comings?

Or do you choose to chew the meat, spit out the bones of all of their content, go to the gym, figure how to stop being useless, get healthy, bin off toxic stuff for you, set goals, achieve goals, set more goals, achieve more goals, find communities that push you, challenge you & keep you working hard?

I've been on both sides of the fence and I 100% would pick the latter, even if it's "harder".

 

[AlexYega]

Still haven't figured this one out, that's the point of this thread. I guess like poking the cat and waiting for a meow, so to speak.

You'll narrow it down as you post more videos I'd say but if your goal is to help people on YouTube, you yourself kind of need to figure what type of audience you want to serve and how.

It doesn't need to be specific right now, but you should be aware of a broad description of who it could be. Then, as you make videos you'll narrow it down further.

You'll probably get some sort of an idea of who it is with your own experiences, hobbies, and interests.

 

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[Andy Black]

I think we're taking a turn from the sort of soulless content that YouTube is right now where retention is prioritized.

Yeah, I suspect all the AI tools to help create and edit content is flooding YouTube with more faceless drivel.

People want connection and authenticity.

Which means this will stand out.