* The above is a short clip from my debut video on my See Humor channel: Checkout the full video RIGHT HERE
Losing yourself is often the advised route to achieve “success” in many areas of life. That’s a serious statement, so really reflect hard on it – especially if you are under say age 30 and really in the beginning stages of carving your path. People often see someone achieve a certain level of success, and they follow their blueprint. I’m not saying that’s all bad because there’s definitely value in learning from another’s experiences and gaining knowledge to support one’s journey, but at the same time I firmly believe it can not hinder one’s authenticity to their own path. It does for so many.
Take YouTube, or any growth-oriented business where your “success” literally falls on the amount of followers/customers/support you have – note other examples include politicians and pretty much the majority of companies. The advice on YouTube when you look up “How to Grow Your Channel” tutorials often include creating content that is trendy, copying specific video forms, creating misleading titles, intentionally withholding certain information to entice the viewer to “click” or waste unnecessary time, creating content in only one area – to avoid mix/match, etc. Basically all of the “advice” centers around doing what is “popular”. Of course you may be asking, “Well Brian, doesn’t everyone want to grow? Isn’t that the point of YouTube?” … And I would say “Yes” but with a condition that you do not lose yourself in the process of it. It is cliche, but that is my mentality and so many people don’t have that condition when they set out to become “popular”.
For example, I do not mislead people with my content – it is truly what I am passionate about, and what I believe people would benefit from. My speech is truly mine, and not what I believe sounds good or what I heard someone else say. I have a clear video description, not trying to be intentionally vague. And I do not want to do a bunch of fake tactics such as collaborating with people whose content I don’t truly value. My content will always reflect ME, and even if it limits my growth, so be it. In a career sense, I am the same way. I will not be pressured to take XYZ higher-paying job if it is not the right time and place for me at a particular stage. I will not be fake and agree with a “superior” when I really do not. And if this hurts my “success” on the outside, at least in the short-term, so be it. I know if at any stage in my life I lose myself and do something for unauthentic reasons, none of my outer “success” would matter to me. I will not be content, and when I am 80 years old – contentment is what I seek in regards to my perspective of my life. Everything else is secondary. Therefore, to me – losing myself in the process of achieving goals, success, or anything is NOT WORTH IT. I hope it is the same for you.