You should be concerned

Hey passionate creator,

The path of creators is often considered an uncertain one. We don’t know if the algorithm will favour our next piece of content. We’re not sure when our audience will next grow. We can’t predict when brands will reach out to us for a sponsored post.

As a former dentist, this is something I often struggle with. I end up trying to fill the gaps by considering every possible scenario. I start thinking about alternative career paths just in case this doesn't work out. I obsess over how each YouTube video performs. I wonder what will happen if my audience suddenly stops watching my content.

In short, I worry. A lot. Which is silly because I should be concerned instead.

I know they might sound interchangeable, but there’s a marked distinction between concerns and worries. And this difference is essential, especially in times of doubt.

When you have a concern, you have a problem that you can address. But when you worry, you go in futile circles doing rounds of “what ifs”.

💼 You’re concerned that your article isn’t engaging enough, so you learn more about the art of storytelling. But you worry that no one reads articles anymore because short-form content is taking over.

👯 You’re concerned that you’re not charging the right price for your course, so you send out a survey to gather data from your audience. But you worry that you can't launch a course because you’re not an expert.

👰🏽 You’re concerned that you won’t make enough money next month, so you reach out to more brands for sponsorship opportunities. But you worry that your creator business will end one day because it's not a stable career path.

Concerns are healthy because they’re practical and solution-focused. But I find that when I worry, it’s about the things I can’t control: the algorithm, other people’s minds or actions, the past, and the future. They’re the unknowns and they leave you considering every possible scenario. They lead you down a rabbit hole of self-doubt. But worrying won’t give you the reigns to change the outcome.

The thing is: we have bills to pay and we want to know our work is paying off. It’s perfectly fine to want the feeling of reassurance, safety, and some level of control as a creator.

So instead of worrying and having a myriad of scenarios to dwell on, I turn my worries into a single concern. All you have to do is ask yourself: What's the worst that can possibly happen?

For example if you worry about growth, your single concern is that your audience size could remain the same as it is now. In which case, how can you provide the most value to the existing audience you already have?

Your worst-case scenario becomes your concern. It’s the only scenario you have to think about. Admittedly, it might not be a great situation, but it’s better than drowning yourself in worry. You can calmly try to improve on the worse-case scenario or you can mentally accept it. Either way, you’ll often find that the worst case scenario isn’t as bad as you think.

We signed up for the creator life which means we signed up for some level of uncertainty. And whilst it's something I hope you don’t have to deal with too often, I hope you’re concerned instead of worried.

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I hope you're having an amazing week!

Stay passionate,

Akta