2024 didn't start off quite like I expected.
Riding a wave of optimism from 2023, when I'd seen my YouTube channel grow and become monetised and other projects I'm involved in starting to kick into gear, I eagerly awaited the New Year. 2024 was going to be the year where I further developed plans to deepen my venture into solopreneurship.
I recall an insightful post on X (formally Twitter) in December 2023 that profoundly impacted me. The post had a simple message: if you're an online content creator, nurture and discover a community of 1000 faithful supporters. This community is more than mere numbers; these individuals should form the bedrock of the career of a content creator. Dedicated followers who would not only consume content but actively share and champion that content across social media and the online as well as offline world.
As the curtain fell on 2023, my vision had become crystal clear. I aimed to follow the post's idea. In 2023, my mission had been to hit 1000 YouTube subscribers by the end of the year, and I succeeded in this with a week to spare!
So, in 2024, I committed to expanding my digital footprint and forging deeper connections with my audience, cultivating that base of genuine supporters. My straightforward strategy was to increase my online presence, cast the proverbial net wider, and catch a more engaged audience. Fueled by the optimism I mentioned above, I was poised to use online platforms like YouTube and Substack for more than just broadening my visibility; I aimed to connect with key individuals who would gladly contribute to my dream of being a full-time content creator.
Challenges at Christmas
However, the start of the new year unveiled unforeseen challenges. A personal crisis hit close to home when my youngest son, already grappling with the repercussions of school stress and, quite possibly, still suffering the effects of COVID lockdowns, reached a breaking point. This alarming situation forced my wife and I to reconsider our approach to his education, opting for homeschooling and professional counselling to address his anxieties. I could say more, as a few sentences really don't do justice to the anguish and despair my family felt at the start of January, but I shall say no more as the fuller story is not really mine to tell. Suffice it to say that these decisions, while imperative, come with their financial burdens, but prioritising my son's mental health is non-negotiable.
You may think all that is enough, but the challenges didn't stop there. Our family was soon enveloped by illness, which persisted into February. Christmas was a bit of a washout, especially for my wife, as she was so ill she pretty much would have happily slept through the whole thing. Our wider family gatherings were also affected by illness, though we did manage to gather over a wonderful Christmas meal.
I had naively thought myself immune to seasonal ailments. Still, a cold gripped me in the week or so leading up to Christmas. Just as I felt I was recovering, a nasty chest infection debilitated me throughout January and into February.
All of the above abruptly paused all my plans and endeavours - my optimism took a while to return.
Navigating this first month or so of 2024 has tested my resilience and adaptability. The setbacks my family and I have faced were not mere obstacles; they served as catalysts for introspection and recalibration.
1000 Supporters
Amid these mental and physical health challenges, the importance of community has become even more apparent. The concept of 1000 faithful supporters, I think, can be expanded beyond the confines of the digital world. It should include the tangible support of family and friends, whose support and continued care is priceless. I'm particularly appreciative of my mother and father-in-law, who have been more than happy to adapt their week to help my son with parts of his homeschooling curriculum. I'm also more than happy to not have to work through maths, which is not my strongest subject by a long way. Meanwhile, my father-in-law knows his numbers and shows extreme patience and understanding.
This period of upheaval has also prompted a slight reevaluation of my goals. My content creation aspirations must now be balanced with the realities of our new family life. I recall talking with my family (I also have another son and a daughter) about the importance of flexibility, sacrifice and the ability to adjust ambitions in the face of adversity.
What Lessons Can We Learn?
As we creep into February, it seems like things are beginning to settle into a rhythm. But I know this isn't about "bouncing back" to what it was like before. It's about growing, adapting, and carving new paths forward. It's also about sharing these experiences so that others may see the reality of life and learn some lessons from it, or at the very least, see what they might do differently. In a nutshell, this is the purpose of this weekly blog - 'Friday's Insight'.
Life, as I have been keenly reminded of late, is complex and unpredictable, filled with challenges that require us to adjust and evolve. Through adversity, we discover our true strength and the profound impact of the support we receive from those around us.
Let me finish by asking you: where are your faithful supporters? What are you doing to find them? And what will you create together once they have been discovered?