Benjamin, your article brilliantly illustrates a paradox that many professionals and entrepreneurs face: the pursuit of "best practices" can sometimes be the very thing holding us back from creating lasting success.
Just as you found your breakthrough by abandoning conventional YouTube wisdom, many of the most innovative and fulfilling businesses were built by people who dared to question industry standards. Think of companies like Patagonia, which succeeded by prioritizing environmental responsibility when that was considered bad business, or Buffer, which built customer trust through radical transparency.
The key insight here isn't just about being contrarian - it's about finding the courage to align your work with your authentic values and strengths, even when that means swimming against the current. Whether you're building a business, advancing in your career, or creating content, sustainable success often comes not from following someone else's playbook, but from having the clarity to recognize your unique contribution and the confidence to deliver it in your own way.
Perhaps the most valuable metric isn't market share, growth rate, or engagement - but rather the degree to which your work energizes rather than depletes you. When you find that sweet spot, you often discover there's a whole audience, market, or career path waiting for exactly what you naturally do best.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I think having the courage to align our work with our values is incredibly important and something I am moving closer towards. It's too easy to get caught up in the capitalistic nature of social media and personal branding and lose sight of this.
Thanks a lot for writing this thoughtful comment. I think you're right and I especially resonate with the part about measuring success by energy levels.
Thank you so much for this! I've experienced this shift myself lately too. Learning to create, for the joy of it, and not for metrics or fame. This is so validating, keep creating!
Every seed sprouts I the dark .. this is awesome. When life feels like it’s falling apart it’s an opportunity to truly create. Like my definition of play: give and take without intent. Just like kids.
I love seeing people having success in just being in life and doing what they love. 👏🙌🏼
Your post reminds me of Simon Sinek's 'What's your why?' principle. Getting down to the core of your purpose before you focus on 'strategies to maximise whatever' if that's indeed what you want to do and not what you think you should be doing. Thanks for the post, Benjamin. Nice to see some authenticity and someone having both courage and confidence to follow their own path.
Wow! Thanks for this inspiring read! Chasing the algorithm and trying to check all of the "typical" advice boxes has (had) me stuck in my head and no longer enjoying my art. Shifting my focus back to why I got into content creation is beginning to restore my excitement and creativity. Again, thank you!
Thanks for sharing your journey. Even if you didn't grow as you expected during those first two years, I bet everything you learned along the way (how to make videos, thumbnails, etc) must have helped you a lot afterward.
That's the exact reason when I'm asked in interviews what I'd change, I say nothing. While I stumbled for almost 2 decades, everything I did and learned brought me to where I am today.
Chasing the metrics really does suck the fun out of the passion.
I'm glad that the mindset shift from facing the trend to being yourself had a profound positive impact, especially as we can become disillusioned with 'how to' advice rather than advice on how to lean into your unique edge.
I explored something similar in a post about success where I also hammer home defining things in your own terms; in this context, the metrics and the reaction you hope for.
Thank you Landon and Benjamin for showcasing this.
Yes, it removes all the fun of it. I've had a lot of friends and clients that burn out because of that fact. It becomes mechanical and there is no fun, joy, or passion that goes into when that's the only focus.
thank you for this write up. that help me to realise that endless pursue to growth hacking, probably can be futile effort, but instead to focus on creating depth, and building meaningful connection with the right audience that has longer attention span, and for those who are patient for the right content. Appreciate this sharing of the paradigm shift. :)
Definitely agree, the same underlying principles can be applied everywhere. The trouble is that too many skip that and jump from one to the other missing it completely.
Looks like you stumbled upon authenticity. There are millions of people online who look for the shortcut to fame and fortune. There are far fewer who have something to say because they seek to solve problems for others. That's what fuels success. Good work.
Thanks for the raw honesty in this post and just being different. No clickbait or as you say generic suggestions, it was refreshing. You completely understood and covered the hurdles of a writer's journey. I loved the questions you suggested we ask ourselves.
Benjamin, your article brilliantly illustrates a paradox that many professionals and entrepreneurs face: the pursuit of "best practices" can sometimes be the very thing holding us back from creating lasting success.
Just as you found your breakthrough by abandoning conventional YouTube wisdom, many of the most innovative and fulfilling businesses were built by people who dared to question industry standards. Think of companies like Patagonia, which succeeded by prioritizing environmental responsibility when that was considered bad business, or Buffer, which built customer trust through radical transparency.
The key insight here isn't just about being contrarian - it's about finding the courage to align your work with your authentic values and strengths, even when that means swimming against the current. Whether you're building a business, advancing in your career, or creating content, sustainable success often comes not from following someone else's playbook, but from having the clarity to recognize your unique contribution and the confidence to deliver it in your own way.
Perhaps the most valuable metric isn't market share, growth rate, or engagement - but rather the degree to which your work energizes rather than depletes you. When you find that sweet spot, you often discover there's a whole audience, market, or career path waiting for exactly what you naturally do best.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment. I think having the courage to align our work with our values is incredibly important and something I am moving closer towards. It's too easy to get caught up in the capitalistic nature of social media and personal branding and lose sight of this.
Thanks a lot for writing this thoughtful comment. I think you're right and I especially resonate with the part about measuring success by energy levels.
Real. 💥 As a first timer on substack inundated with BS about how to hack and grow. This resonates. Thank you 🙏
Thanks for reading!
Thanks a lot Nicholas. I know it can be overwhelming with all the advice out there
Thank you so much for this! I've experienced this shift myself lately too. Learning to create, for the joy of it, and not for metrics or fame. This is so validating, keep creating!
That's incredible Claudia. It takes a lot of courage to reach that place. Keep up the great work.
Same Claudia!
Every seed sprouts I the dark .. this is awesome. When life feels like it’s falling apart it’s an opportunity to truly create. Like my definition of play: give and take without intent. Just like kids.
I love seeing people having success in just being in life and doing what they love. 👏🙌🏼
Yay. Thanks so much Maria..we need to normalise this
I’m here for it! Thx Ben
Beautifully said Maria
Gracias Landon 💛
Your post reminds me of Simon Sinek's 'What's your why?' principle. Getting down to the core of your purpose before you focus on 'strategies to maximise whatever' if that's indeed what you want to do and not what you think you should be doing. Thanks for the post, Benjamin. Nice to see some authenticity and someone having both courage and confidence to follow their own path.
Thanks for taking the time to read Jason :)
Thank you Jason. It is an ever developing path of discovery. One thing I’m increasingly realising is that not one has all the answers and that’s ok 😀
Wow! Thanks for this inspiring read! Chasing the algorithm and trying to check all of the "typical" advice boxes has (had) me stuck in my head and no longer enjoying my art. Shifting my focus back to why I got into content creation is beginning to restore my excitement and creativity. Again, thank you!
I am so very happy to hear this Boyd. Thank you for the kind words.
Very interesting§
Thanks for sharing your journey. Even if you didn't grow as you expected during those first two years, I bet everything you learned along the way (how to make videos, thumbnails, etc) must have helped you a lot afterward.
That's the exact reason when I'm asked in interviews what I'd change, I say nothing. While I stumbled for almost 2 decades, everything I did and learned brought me to where I am today.
It’s true…it#s actually helped a lot with substack because even though the medium is different the parameters are pretty much the same
Chasing the metrics really does suck the fun out of the passion.
I'm glad that the mindset shift from facing the trend to being yourself had a profound positive impact, especially as we can become disillusioned with 'how to' advice rather than advice on how to lean into your unique edge.
I explored something similar in a post about success where I also hammer home defining things in your own terms; in this context, the metrics and the reaction you hope for.
Thank you Landon and Benjamin for showcasing this.
Yes, it removes all the fun of it. I've had a lot of friends and clients that burn out because of that fact. It becomes mechanical and there is no fun, joy, or passion that goes into when that's the only focus.
thank you for this write up. that help me to realise that endless pursue to growth hacking, probably can be futile effort, but instead to focus on creating depth, and building meaningful connection with the right audience that has longer attention span, and for those who are patient for the right content. Appreciate this sharing of the paradigm shift. :)
Thanks a lot for taking the time to share your feedback. I appreciate it 🙏
I feel that too. I spent years trying to shortcut the process. It took a lot of work and self reflection to adjust my approach.
Yep. The commonalities are everywhere across social media. The nuance and the differences are mostly in how each platform works.
When this is the situation, it's like pouring diesel into an electric vehicle.
Definitely agree, the same underlying principles can be applied everywhere. The trouble is that too many skip that and jump from one to the other missing it completely.
Looks like you stumbled upon authenticity. There are millions of people online who look for the shortcut to fame and fortune. There are far fewer who have something to say because they seek to solve problems for others. That's what fuels success. Good work.
Thank you Maryan…it’s the path I am now pursuing
Thank you Maryan, I agree.
Thanks for the raw honesty in this post and just being different. No clickbait or as you say generic suggestions, it was refreshing. You completely understood and covered the hurdles of a writer's journey. I loved the questions you suggested we ask ourselves.
Thank you so much Latoya :) Benajmin is a brilliant writer.
Very well done, Benjamin, and Thanks for recommending Landon 💪
All credit to Benajmin here!
Thank you Manuel.
I appreciate the emphasis on authenticity over gimmicks and other people's standards. It's something I needed to hear today.
Very grateful for this comment. I think authenticity is so important.
Hi Darrel thank you for taking the time to comment. I'm glad it was of help