Content Creation Is The New 9-5 Trap?

I remember one day at my 9-5 job, I got a notification.

Bear in mind, at this point I did have somewhat of a presence on social media.

But when I looked down at my phone, it was a payment from Disney of £2,000 for a sponsorship video I had made with them.

Now, of course, I worked on this platform for maybe a solid two years, but that was still a lot of money from one single video. In that moment, I made the same amount of money I would working a whole month at my job. Although I’m explaining this story in a positive light, I want you to know what I was doing wasn’t sustainable.

In fact, I was digging myself a hole…

Because on one side I had a “stable” job, and on the other side, I was earning but not a reliable income.

And if you are an online creative, this reading is going to be extremely useful, so I recommend staying till the end.

I personally have nothing against sponsorships as long as what you’re promoting is something you are a user of. Sponsorships should complement your life.

If you meditate, a meditation app you use could be a great partnership. If you have a website, and you enjoy their services, the website provider could be a great partnership. If you buy most of your clothes from one designer, that could be a great partnership. Sponsorships should align with your lifestyle.

But again, as a creative, sponsorships shouldn’t be the only option you rely on. This is a big mistake.

In this article you will understand why, and by the end, what the better alternative is.

The Hardships

I’m talking on all of this from experience.

You have this cushy job that isn’t easy, but it isn’t hard. What actually makes the job hard isn’t the work like most people would assume, it’s the feeling of “I could be doing something better.”

But then, if you do approach creativity and pursuing your own work, like being a digital entrepreneur (someone who creates valuable stuff on the internet), you will quickly realise that option takes a lot more of your freedom than the cushy job itself.

So, you’re stuck in a trap between the two.

There is a lot to be said about this because if you don’t see staying in a job (your current reality) as a bad thing, you will never take the leap of faith.

“It’s good enough” is what makes you stay there. “It isn’t easy, but it isn’t hard” is exactly the type of mindset that kills ambition.

But remember that feeling of doing better? And reaching your full potential?

That will always be there, and it will eat you inside out until you start taking small steps and moving towards the version of you that you are visualising deeply in your subconscious.

What you want and what the ideal situation is, is to create freely and do so by monetising. You want to act on your creative interests, while monetising so that you can actually make a living.

But if done well (meaning if you have knowledge of social media, marketing, branding, persuasion - the foundations) then you can make a big living from it.

Don’t Sacrifice Creativity

That’s not what happens with most creators.

What happens is you leave your job, and you solely rely on things like platform money and sponsorships, completely throwing your freedom away yet again.

Here, I want to paint a clear picture of what happens. You are placing yourself in the same place as you were before. It’s the same thing as your job. An external entity outside of your control is paying you and giving you a living.

So you throw your freedom out the window yet again.

Due to this financial need to survive, you start promoting things you don’t even want to. You start investing your time and energy into making videos for brands you don’t even buy from. Again, if it’s something that you use and want to promote, there is no problem. But the likeliness of your favourite brands sponsoring you every single time is low.

I want to drill this idea into your mind that it’s not about the money. I’m talking about freedom.

The only reason you chase money is for the freedom of it.

You had money at your job, you didn’t feel right. You aren’t going to feel right doing the same thing here.

In simpler terms, it’s about the level of control that you have.

I don’t care what you think.

You can believe that you are doing it for materialistic possessions or status but if you are wise enough you’ll understand that those things become meaningless very quickly.

What you actually want is the freedom to act on your creative interests, regardless of money, and in the process to find a reliable method of monetisation so that you can keep doing it.

What I Wish Someone Told Me

I’m mad because I didn’t have someone like me telling me all of this.

What I had was public figures such as Gary Vee, who although does does give great advice, he also gives advice such as post 10 times a day.

Even if you can make 10 videos a day, don’t.

Because those who do that have an entire team behind them.

But also, when you post 10 times a day there is a high chance of a few of those videos being ones you didn’t even want to create. Posting 10 times a day might be an option for a rare few, but for the majority it isn’t.

You don’t need to post 10 times a day, you need a system that works on autopilot.

You don’t need to work hard for your content, you need a system where your content works hard for you.

Please understand that if you do not have this type of mindset (and yes it is a mindset), and are gearing your entire liveliness towards the platform paying you, or other brands paying you, you will end up where you were in your job.

No creativity, no freedom, no control.

The Attention Economy

So, talking about creativity, where do we start? How do we be creative, but also in that get across authenticity in that value?

Because that’s all there is to social media. You are providing value within your creativity and bringing your unique perspective with that value.

And the first place to start is to never, and I mean never, allow others to tell you what to create.

This is the reason why a ton of brand deals will throw you off course as a creative. Because then you start creating content to land brand deals, rather than producing content to create value.

Don’t create with the hopes of getting something. Create to give. Don’t formulate your videos because a brand may like them, formulate them to reach your audience and your ideal avatar.

This is how you don’t make something you love to do into something you have to do.

This is hard because everyone is fighting for attention, and when you go the attention route you do stuff you don’t want to.

The forefront of everything on social media is attention.

The new economy is the attention economy.

But where most creators go wrong is they fight for the attention, but can’t hold it.

Holding attention is where the real value is given.

Don’t invest too much into platforms because the platforms don’t care about you, they care about the attention that you bring.

Again, here’s a question for you. Are you chasing attention or are you chasing creativity? If you’re chasing attention, I guarantee you’ll lose the thing you love.

The number one way to ruin your creative spirit is to place expectations on it.

When you begin to think things like “the audience must love it” you’ve placed an expectation on your creativity.

The goal is for your hobby, whatever that is, to become a career or a business.

Protect Your Creative Spirit

I really want to get this message across: the success will come but first build the solid foundation of honing in on your creative spirit or vision.

Remember, once the entire thing is no longer fun, you’ve allowed the outside world to get into your process.

If you’re asking “what do I do? If it’s the attention economy, do I not chase it?” don’t chase attention, create it.

Stay grounded in your “why”.

There is always a solid why prior to a start.

Always go back to the drawing board.

Why did you start creating in the first place?

Who are you trying to create for?

Every secret lies there.

Go internal.

Do this by looking at your goals. If you don’t have one, then set a goal for the future. Think and contemplate on how your curiosities and interests can get you to that goal.

It’s funny because the word “creator” is everywhere. But as soon as a creator produces something, like selling a knowledge packed course, that creator is immediately demonised.

Of course, you can guess what I’m going to say.

Fu*k them.

Build your own stuff.

We’ll get to that later on, but build something for your former self. Something you wish to see in the world, but isn’t here yet.

How do you do this?

Pursue a project.

When you pursue a project, specific problems arise.

When specific problems arise, you solve them with your unique approach.

When you solve a problem with your unique approach, you hold value.

And when you hold value, there are people out there, who are two or three steps behind you that will pay you for that value.

If you have a problem, others have it too.

So create what you love, but solve problems along the way. See it as a fun game that you are a part of. A fun project.

But remember to be you in the process. Authenticity is super important.

People don’t buy into your products; they buy into you.

They purchase from you because of you.

I wrote an article on authenticity, where I shared deep concepts on how to be your true authentic self, check it out: How To Discover Your Authentic Self

Pivot With Your Interests

Moving on. I started making videos on TikTok in 2020 because I was heavily into film. But now? I’m not heavily into film. I’ve evolved from that interest.

Is that a bad thing?

No, people evolve.

If you don’t evolve, that’s where the trouble actually begins.

But even in that experience, I realised when I started making those videos, I would just create them for fun. I would enjoy the process.

But as soon as the audience and opportunities came, the joy fell.

Because now there was an expectation, you see?

But I don’t care.

I personally want to create what I want to create which is why you’re seeing me here on Substack and YouTube.

This goes true for every creator.

If you look at the biggest influencers, although influencers don’t provide “value”, but let’s just talk about it for the sake of this argument.

KSI started off with gaming, then went into boxing, and now he’s in business producing his own products. Do you see how he pivoted with his interests?

Your social meida presence evolves with you. Your content evolves with you.

Don’t be afraid to pivot with your interests.

You’re Creating A Film

I want you to create as if you are creating a film.

What happens in a film?

You have writers, producers, directors, actors. But now see it as you are all of it. The only one. It’s just you.

You are the writer, producer, editor etc. At least in the very beginning.

And if you’re extremely unsure about monetisation. Again, money always equals to value. Focus on bringing value.

Monetisation is important. Even in films, they’re making it for box office money. So even in entertainment, they’re seeing it as a business. That’s what you need to do.

There is no money without value, and there is no value without money.

All of it should be fun. Money is just the by-product. Make the process feel like play.

People who say “content creation has become the new 9-5” are only saying that because they’re treating it like one.

You think you have to be somewhere at a certain time.

No.

Make a routine, routine is good.

Schedule stuff, scheduling is good.

But ensure that it is how you want it to be. Unlike, a 9-5, where you don’t get to decide.

Summary

That was a lot.

Let’s do a quick recap before I give you two final, actionable solutions.

Your job and sponsorships are the same thing Only do sponsorships that align with your lifestyle: promote what you use You’re never really chasing money; you’re chasing the freedom that it brings Don’t post 10x a day, build content systems that run on autopilot and work for you The new economy is the attention economy: don’t fight for it, capture and sustain it If the fun is missing, you’ve let the outside world interfere with your process Your content evolves with you—pivot your content with your current interests A personal brand is like creating a film where you’ve got full creative control There are two final recommendations that I want to give you.

Act On Your Creative Interests But Systematise It This is important. Every business which operates well has an undeniable system behind it. Create your own systems for writing, filming, editing etc.

I’ve got my own timetable. I only post on YouTube on the weekends. This is because I spend the start of the week writing both short-form and long-form content and keep the weekend’s mainly for recording purposes.

On the Sunday the YouTube video gets uploaded and a written version of it goes out as at newsletter to those who have subscribed to it.

I also spend the weekends at the moment building digital products.

But the point I’m trying to make is to place your focus on building systems. A lot of creators confuse the process.

There is no “one” platform to post on. There is no “right” platform. There is just one content which goes out to all platforms. One content, all platforms.

If you are a beginner, what I would say is just start creating on whichever platform you’re active on most. Start building your skills in writing, marketing, branding, and persuasion.

Talk about whatever you want, because you’re growing a community, not a following. Win trust, community, and friendship to win the game.

Build And Sell Your Own Stuff As you come across problems, you come across value that is on the other side if you do solve that problem.

Remember the word freedom? This is the only way to have true freedom.

To solve a current problem in your life and sell the solution via value to those who need it.

So, create, but also build your own stuff.

Again, create systems for when you promote. Create a promotion schedule. For example, “I’m going to promote on this day”.

And remember, at the forefront of an irreplaceable personal brand is authenticity.

That’s all from me for this week.

Hope you’ve enjoyed it.

Check out the video version of this article here:

Signing out.

-Serkan