This is a not-yet success story
Behind-the-scenes of what it means to trust the process and believe in the outcome.
Hello dear friend
Welcome to a brand new edition of Be Your Best Friend with Anangsha - the weekend newsletter that knows great things are possible if only one puts in the effort every day.
I recently watched an episode of Bojack Horseman where Bojack decides to start running for his health. Since he’s so out of shape after years of neglecting his body, he gets tired and starts panting just a few minutes after starting.
Exhausted, he lies on the sidewalk, saying this is too hard.
Then, an old man walking by tells him - “Yes, it is hard. But it will get easier.”
Bojack is convinced it’s never going to be easy. Skeptical, he asks, “It is?”
The old man says, “It gets easier. Every day, it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day. That’s the hard part.”
Such a simple scene, but it has such a profound implication.
Whenever we start something new - be it a new hobby, habit, job, or side hustle - the beginning is always hard. Things do get easier with time, but it’s up to us to show up every day and keep putting in the effort.
It’s easy to work hard when you see results. It’s difficult to keep working hard not knowing when your endless darkness will stop and you’ll see some light. But we’ve got to be consistent. We have to show up every day, give in our 100%, and keep grinding until we make it.
Today’s newsletter is about this. It’s the not-yet-success story of my YouTube channel.
The YouTube Journey So Far
I posted my first video on my YouTube channel in April 2019. It was a silly video discussing some crazy fan theories from Game Of Thrones (none of which came true, anyway).
But then, in July 2020, due to a lockdown-induced surge of motivation coursing through my veins, I made a conscious decision that I would post content on my channel more consistently.
When I started, I wasn’t under any delusions that I would achieve instant fame. The point was to challenge myself to be more confident in front of the camera, and to create content that can help others.
Even then, there was a voice at the back of my head saying that if I kept doing it consistently for a year, I would be able to turn YouTube into a significant source of income.
It’s 2022 now, and I’ve uploaded 199 videos in 18 months. Guess how much money I made from YouTube?
Zero!
That’s right. My channel has 2000 subscribers and I don’t have enough views to make money from the YouTube Partner Program.
Behind-the-Scenes of This “Failure”
By all standards, I should have been discouraged and quit, right?
But I’m not going to do that!
I believe the Universe has great things in store for me, even on YouTube. I believe one day, I’ll be able to make a living by YouTube alone. I can’t say how long it will take or how many more videos I need to make, but I know this for sure: I won’t quit!
If you’re reading this, know that you’ve been a part of the journey before it became a success story.
You know what it takes to make people go, “Wow, you’re a big deal!”
Consistency, shameless self-belief, and the perseverance to keep going no matter how long it takes to succeed.
If you haven’t checked my YouTube channel yet, I make videos about writing, freelancing, books, and productivity — with the occasional fun vlog in between. Do follow me so you can be a part of this journey before I actually make it “big” there.
Hopefully, next year on the same date, I’ll be able to look back on this post and marvel at how far I’ve come. Until then, I’ll keep working hard and try my best to help as many people as I can through my videos.
Of all the platforms I’ve built a presence on, YouTube feels the hardest. But I’m willing to give it my 100% before I blame anyone else or wallow in self-pity.
What are your thoughts on doggedly pursuing a goal even when the end isn’t in sight? Do leave a reply to let me know your thoughts.
PS: If you’d like to support my YouTube journey before my channel makes it BIG, here are the latest videos I uploaded:
In other news, I have some good news for all writers looking to make a decent income through Medium. I’m relaunching Project Medium, my flagship coaching program that has helped 20+ writers set up a strong brand by writing articles, and getting to that point where they can leverage it to build a career.
If you’re already enrolled in the Medium Partner Program but haven’t been able to get decent traction from it, this could be your chance to start something incredible.
Note that I create this newsletter for you every week with lots of love. If you’d like to support me, here’s a link to buy me a book.
If you found this letter useful, don’t forget to forward this to a friend or ask them to sign up for my newsletter. It’s free, and you know me, I only send valuable content.
That’s all from my end today. I’ll see you again soon. Till then, stay strong. Keep smiling and be awesome.
With love,
Anangsha.