I really appreciate this video. I think you have a great chance to be a successful creator. RUclips has transformed our lives. We have over 30 million subs and 15 billion views between our 6 channels. , It’s also been the hardest endeavor of our lives. Recruiting and managing employees is my least favorite part. My goal is to remove distractions so I can focus on creating. If I can’t then I’ll quit.
This is exactly what I needed. I had recently been going all in on trying to build my RUclips channel and hadn’t worked a normal job in years with the hopes that my content/art/whatever was going to become a full time gig. But when RUclips or any other creative outlet becomes something you need to profit from it can have a huge impact on the creativity and enjoyment from that thing. I strongly believe in the law of detachment and the fact that you can have anything you want in life as long as you don’t need it.
Love this!! After college I dove right into content creation and it made me loose my love for travel photography bc I not longer was present in the places and would stress out about making sure I capture all the brand content perfectly, now I’m a remote designer and do my photography and art on the side and I can be way more creative and breathe and be authentic in my expression. People bash 9-5 but hustling for the next client all the time and being financially stressed is like a wet rag on the flame of creativity. Don’t force your creativity to support you in totality. It’s your inner child and needs the freedom of play
The best solution i did is built a business. So i can just create youtube contents with full creativity. Not chasing views, sponsorships whatsoever. But just for the love of it
I'm not rich, im not an expert, spent a fortune buying gear until i get guilty, but from day one i've never tried to moneitize any of my channels NEVER
This is a great example of what happens when you have to compromise your creative freedom for success. Art is subjective. Money isn’t everything. Just do what you love
Don't forget that being a RUclipsr is very similar to running your own business. You should upload things people want to see, just like businessman should offer product/service that people need. The most difficult part is starting and growing of course, but consistency and hard work (with a little bit of Famester of course to help) will always pay off at the end. Good luck to everyone, we will all succeed one day!!
I just saw this very same comment almost word for word on the last video I watched..the name also looks like a bot kinda 😅 it's good advice in all seriousness tho. Also, that doesn't negate that this is a really good video, one fishy comment may not be indicative of bot activity, who knows
Dude you are talented and a good storyteller. This was enjoyable to watch. And I was surprised when I realised it didnt have highly optimised retention editing.
Thank you! This is a great compliment, since I’ve been trying lately to focus more on good storytelling to make a video entertaining, rather than a lot of annoying jump cuts etc.
Great video! I heared of many of those youtubers quitting and you did an excellent job summarizing the situation. I did RUclips full time for 6 years and I can also confirm many of the points raised in these videos. Eventually in 2020, I decided against the creator career and I don't regret it at all. Great script, keep up such amazing work!
As a channel with 90K subs and it being my full time job, I can relate to why creators are leaving the platform. It takes what you love and turns it into a job. The one thing I think people lose when making this their full time job is losing a key audience member. When you create as a job, your audience is your fans, vendors, sponsors, and partners. When you create as a hobby, your audience is your fans and *yourself*. Great vid. Keep it up!
My passion is making money. I like business stuff. But maybe they just needed to stop going all out all the time. And just be OK with taking like a one month break from time to time.
This was a fantastic video, and very true. My other channel I built up to 26k subs in 2 years, but somehow things changed to really appeal to the people tuning in and subscribing and it turned into something different than what I started it for, and I lost all enjoyment and fulfillment from it. I'm making sure to stay true to myself with my new channel.
I'm a smaller finance channel and that's been the struggle as well, trying to find a balance between what will likely get more views and what we genuinely want to make videos talking about.
Very natural/authentic script style. Love it. Tired of all the stimulation overload and money-grabbing content. Great things take time. The long-road must always be remembered when considering these short-term desires.
Been doing RUclips full time for a year . I can’t wait to go back to work and make RUclips secondary again . I have no drive at all being a full time creator . It actually killed my passion for it .
@@DarneIITVit is but there’s no money in it either .. it’s a lot of work for very little reward . Think of it this way ; for every 10 successful RUclipsrs , there are 1000’s of RUclipsrs that are struggling .
Great video and an amazing subject. It's something I personally deal with myself as right now we're a family of 7 on one income, which is my RUclips income. Luckily I'm a wedding photographer as well however that job also is kind of the same issue that RUclips has. Taking something creative that you love and turning it into a job. A lot of it really is just balancing everything well to get paid but also still be creative. But at the end of the day a job is a job. It's rough stuff. Great video. Keep it up!
First of all, good luck on your artistic journey! There's always room for new voices! You say the goal is "doing what you love and making enough money." If that's the goal, you'll never get so much burnout that you need to quit. The problem is when the goal shifts from making enough, to building an empire. This stuff is absolutely sustainable if we keep it small and costs low. I've been doing it full-time for 15 years and my channel hasn't grown in years. I used to be ashamed by that, and now I've realized it's an asset. Nothing scarier than having a team of people and needing videos to go viral to pay them. I've been there!
This was a great dive into this subject, I’d wondered why so many were quitting too. It’s a shame they are going, but I bet they will welcome the change of pace. I’m guessing some will come back in the future but will probably just do what videos they like, when they feel like it. This was a really great video buddy! You raised some awesome points for us all to think of.
Completely resonate with this bro! Filmmaking quickly turned into a chore for me when I started trying to make money with it. All I ever wanted to do is just make films for fun and for the art itself. The key like you said is to have a different source of income that isn't tied the "success" of your art.
Can’t believe that you only have a few 100 subs, this video was so engaging, so well written, so well paced I could go on and on. Super excited to see your future work!!
Can remember watching an artist that I used to enjoy watching do paintings try to do an upload while she was on her xmas holidays with her folks, she was crying at the pressure of posting weekly videos and not enjoying the time off with the family. Seemed a pretty sad existence, she ended up giving up.
@@notbengordon I always think if someone puts so much into the artwork, then has to edit and voiceover a video, add some b-roll and then promote it, it's easy to see how people burn out.
Nice Video. The reason I speculate on why so many RUclipsrs are leaving is because they feel burnt out or they want to focus on another topic that they are passionate About, I’m also gonna retire eventually because I’ve been doing RUclips for 10 years Straight. Good luck on your channel 🍀!
Great video. I was on the verge of shutting down my (admittely tiny, relatively speaking) channel, but then just decided to do it for the intrinsic reward - basically doing videos I enjoy making. 2024 will be the year to see if that decision makes a difference.
RUclips is the ultimate hamster wheel. I'm not a big channel but the amount of work I have to put in to get the views I do get is why I have considered quitting many times... the last year things changed and views dropped significantly as a shift toward TikTok happened. How it feels for me is that the algorithm will make it really hard to get a push, but will kill a video really quickly .. anyway... 4 years in I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. Cool video mate, I wish you success on the platform.
This a raw realty and watching all those videos and yours as well just confirmed the same thing. I hope I don't burnout soon and keep doing vidros without burnout too much. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
This was an awesome video for someone just starting out because you provide great insight on how not to go down that path of no longer enjoying your own creations! I've had a few ideas on the back burner and now I have a much better understanding on how to implement one for as business and keep the other for passion! Thank you 🙏🏼
Sounds like good advice! I do agree that when you are forced to do something that used to be a hobby can really change the parameters of that hobby. Good Luck to you! Cheers
I'm 0:32 in, and I can answer this question. And this applies to any career, hobby, past time - for me it was martial arts. When you're building something, eventually you reach a point where it's finished. It's built. You loved building it, and you love what you built. But it's done and you're ready to move on. If Not Ben Gordon is a successful channel and everything goes great, some day you too will sit back with a mug of whatever you like, take a sip, smile, and say, "Aaaahhh. Finished." That's called winning at life.
This comment made me so happy, you have no idea! And it adds to a change in my thoughts I just had yesterday after seeing MatPat’s video about him quitting RUclips, he seems to be leaving for the reason you gave, which is a much better reason than just not enjoying what you do anymore.
Very interesting take! The "one for you, one for them" is a cool idea. And fueling one passion with the other is great too. I'm happy I stumbled upon your channel. All the best to you!
Nice video, well articulated and well made, congrats on having a video hit hard. I understand where you are coming from as someone that recently started doing RUclips aswell, seeing all the people leaving and talking about how burnt out or dissatisfied with the "job" they are is a bit worrying but i will persevere and I wish you all the best in your journey.
As some one else that just started taking RUclips a bit more serious, I totally agree.It seems left and right someone else is quitting. Anyway your vid looks good man! Keep going!
I owned a 6fig photography business that I closed this past Dec. I used to love photography but I ended up hating it. During those 3 years I never went out to take my own photos like I used to. Closing my business was such a relief.
Wow! I'm curious if you'll find that you start enjoying photography agin like you used to after a while of not doing it as a job. I'd love to hear about it if that happens. And I see you're starting on RUclips as well, good luck with it!
Really great video from start to finish! I used to think I wanted to do YT full time but I realize I'm enjoying it more as my side passion project that comes with a bit of side income. Totally agree with this.
There are many ways to create ”passive income” online as a way to pay (some bills). Pod, selling digital courses etc. That way you don’t have to depend fully on RUclips or the ”passion job”. It takes 3-5 years to build different income source, but for creative people that’s in for the long game it’s worth it.
Congrats on your win with this video :) Just starting too and it was freaking me out a little. Empathize as I’ve had some of the same experience/feelings with my last startup. A sobering reminder not to let it happen with this.
Surprised when i saw that you have just over 600 subscribers, thought that i missed few digits... Keep it up, you have the spark that is needed for RUclips!
You really did a bang up job on this monologue. It resonates heavily with me as I too have noticed this trend with creators who turned RUclips into a business - Matt D'avela for one. Even Casey Neistat recently in a podcast shared that same sentiment. My wife and I are creatives - She's a graphic designer, I'm a full-time content creator and strategist, and we're getting more into creating for ourselves as a way to keep practicing our craft, and putting out content as a way to just put out a good message to the world and share our hardships, lessons and stuff. It's not what it's all cracked up to be, but there's a way to find balance in all of it.
I have always from the beginning of setting up a you tube channel decided this is going to be a hobby only. A video log of what I am thinking and the places I go where I never know the outcome of what is going to happen. Thanx for a great video. Very inspiring
Thought-provoking video! My passion for learning and understanding ‘why’ led me to engineering, but I’ve been burnt out. This video has given me ideas on re-invigorating my career, for which I’m grateful.
Great video. I'm currently in a similar situation. I'm managing a growing RUclips channel and Instagram account that does comedy sketches. We have been starting to work for brands and the process it's always way more stressful than just making videos that we enjoy. Having an extra job gives you the ability to say no when work you know is going to suck comes your way. It's a dream of mine to just focus on content creation, and not have to do other work, but some might not be as perfect as one thinks. Thanks again for the video, keep it up!!
Running a small YT channel and hanging out with a few other. It amazes me people approach that they can not put the camera down or enjoy something without trying to capture and share it. But I am also a low effort channel haha
Creators took it too far, it makes no financial sense or workload sense. RUclips was meant to be for sharing home or amateur videos, not for full broadcast quality productions.
Great video and well done research. I do hope you find that balance. What is going on with content creation is similar to what we see in most other creative endeavors like acting and music. When you HAVE to do something to meet your needs it becomes less fun.
The moment you feel like you HAVE to create content in order to make money (to pay the bills and/or make payroll for your team) or just meet deadlines years on end, it's downhill from there.
One of the big reasons I’m happy this video did well is because I got comments from people with different cool channels like yours. Sharing your channel with my father, he loves your type of content!
That's a great feeling that they feel like they worked so hard, and there are endless consumer's who destroy their life through yt content consumption.
I'm so glad I ran into this video. Really gave me something to ponder upon. Have been thinking about factors that make it sustainable to stay on RUclips in a long run. And this video gave me tips on just that. All the best with your content creation journey. I can see that we both are in the same boat. Lets hope we eventually find our balance.
I have noticed creators absolutely losing it and disappearing never to be heard from again and it’s bizarre. One even moved to a new home with a basement just so she could have a studio space to create, made one video in that space and disappeared four years ago and hasn’t been on YT since. Another joined a cult, and yet another is so desperate for views and money that she puts no effort in any more and is uploading crap like four times a day that’s as minimal as her eating cookies, chips and cereal without saying a word (needless to say, I unsubscribed!). Thank you for the video and to the creators that you featured that at least have enough respect for themselves and their loyal viewers to say a thoughtful goodbye.
Awesome video and definitely something to think about. I also think that life has its phases and our personality is constantly evolving, there are times when we want to reorient ourselves, develop new dreams and move forward.
I work a full time job as well because RUclips income is so unstable and It was stressing me. Now RUclips is fun for me again and I feel free doing videos
I’m on the same boat. I’ve been doing RUclips for over 12 years and if it wasn’t because I have a regular daytime job, I probably would be at 1 million subscribers. But I have children and it’s not about what I want anymore. 5 years ago is when I had my first kid anyways it’s amazing to share creations with the public and the love of the art is what keeps me going.
Honestly, I'm relieved to have a regular part-time job. Content creation is really tough, chasing views, sponsorships, checking on metrics all the time, the financial instability, not everybody understands the rules of this game.
Great video. I’ve gone back to working a day job and then RUclips some evenings and weekends. It is INFINITELY more enjoyable when you don’t NEED every video to work/bang. If you want to do RUclips I advise doing a job that is low stress or work for 6 months hardcore then 6 months for yourself etc. Great vid bro. Very relatable
It’s so nice to see you, with a big channel who’s experienced the things I was thinking about talk about your own experience. It’s very helpful, thank you for your comment! It means a lot.
Its the same with all creative work. After a while if you do not change direction, take a break, or do something tangible you will be exhausted. The solution is looking after your physical world, and changing tack periodically. I say this after 40 years as an old creative.
Burn out is real. Im an American living in Philippines , 3 years in , it seems like 9-5 7 day week for $300 month . No growth in over a year . I love it and will continue .
I’m not subscribed but your video came up in my suggested feed. I love topics and discussions like this and I was quite pleased to hear that what you have suggested is already something I’m doing; have my own business that fuels my hobby, in my case it’s simply the time and flexibility to be creative and make videos every day. I also alternate between videos that are fun and easy to make every day, and a much better, longer, and more involved video once in a while. So far, this seems to be working well for me! I’ll check out the rest of your channel.
Great vid. Here is my 2 cents: I’ve worked with video production for over 10 years now. I resonate with you about no feeling inspired with taking photos on my free time, something I loved to do 7 years ago. My Job is still very creative and I mostly do creative tasks 8 hours a day everyday leading to that I feel uninspired and non-creative on my spare time. I would advice you to spend the next five years trying out as many creative things as possible to get a deeper understanding of what really fuels your creativity and then creating a way to make your living out of that. I don’t believe the idea of splitting your time between being creative and working a “normal job” especially if you want to do social media. Your time is limited and when you get older, have more responsibility, kids, parter, older parents - you will have less time for your self. A creative person like you should spend all your time creating things otherwise life will create tasks for you. You should do what you love, and that is what the rest of the world needs you to do! Keep up the great work and don’t listen to older people like me or other RUclipsrs telling you what to do. 😊
I wonder if it comes down to expectations. Expecting that a creative job will always feel creative and fun whereas any job has boring, tedious elements. Knowing yourself is key. Its the base for everything. And i agree with the previous comment - as you get older youll have almost no time outside of your work, family and other commitments. Finding your own path without basing it on what others do is hard and it takes time. But so worth it. So looking what other youtubers or creatives do can be helpful but only afyer you've figure out what YOU want. I hope that makes sense.
Great video! 🙌 I think you’ve nailed the point exactly! A couple of years ago I tried to make photography my main business and my only source of income. This was a terrible decision and it almost killed my passion for photography entirely! I ended up getting another job and now filming and taking photos is starting to become fun and exciting again! Having a different daytime job and an artistic side career is probably the best way to stay motivated and creative in the long run. At least in my experience.
Very good vidéo ! I am a film maker freelance and the mistake a lot of filmmakers do is think that their passion is video. its not. their passion is a topic. On my case i love the sea. My passion is Film AND the Ocean. + is you get high ticket clients and you juste need 6 or 7 to live, you can chose them so no more annoying clients.
I really enjoyed this video. This discussion about successful RUclipsrs quitting was intriguing, and you introduced me to creators I’ve never heard of before. After starting my first channel, I discovered the same takeaway as you-creating content purely for monetary reasons is stress-inducing and uninspiring. Interestingly, I’ve found it much smoother to grow my second channel without the pressure of needing the income. Wishing you continued success on your RUclips journey!
The best RUclips channels are ones born from just capturing things you’d already be doing regardless of if you posted about it or not. I’ve been saying for a while now that RUclips was never meant to be a business, it was just something that kind of evolved and then many people thought there was no other way.
But then you have people like Mr. Beast, who decided they’re gonna be a successful RUclipsr from the beginning. If you truly would’ve created the content just as something you enjoy doing, and don’t care about posting/getting views, why even post it in the first place? I believe there are very few RUclipsrs like that.
@@notbengordon True. They wouldn’t have any content posted at all, so that basically eliminates anyone who’s ever posted anything 😂 I started posting to RUclips for fun and to share my work, but like many others I can’t say I wouldn’t strongly consider jumping on the opportunity to use it as a business if I had the chance. The beauty in RUclips is that you’re free to use it however you’d like, however the downside in my opinion is that people see Mr. Beast use the platform in a calculated executive business minded way and assume they can use it as a get rich quick scheme. This creates loads of growth coach types, shovel salesman, and corporate guru types coming on here telling you how to get rich.
6:32 This is so real. I’ve been thinking about that in my case. For the real big ideas I have I want the video to be perfect to make the most success, where other ideas I am just making for myself 😮
They're just retiring. When you have basically beat the game, you just don't know what else to do other than quitting or do something else. If I had hundreds of millions that I don't have to go to work anymore, I would also just take a step back and try new things. They've earned it. They've won at life.
I doubt that a lot of the people quitting RUclips made hundreds of millions. Many are quitting who've made a lot less. Making videos is lonely, hard work. The algorithm doesn't allow to you take a break. And you need to bring passion, energy and enthusiasm to every single video. It can take a toll on your mental health.
@@AccurateEnglish Yes it's fun. But like anything that you want to be successful, people need to realize it's going to take work. Did people forget that? It's not always going to be 💯 fun. There will be aspects of it that you won't find as fun but it's part of it and you have to do it.
Tv show runners, stars and crew get bored on same series and leave for a new challenge. Movies are creative projects with finite time frames. Books in theory, the same. Always need a "there's a next mountain" even if it's just a concept of what might be interesting in 5 years.
@@AccurateEnglishI love that there are actual back and forth conversations going on in the comments here, and I love that even big creators like you are here giving your thoughts! I appreciate it a lot 🫶
I agree with what you are saying... it all boils down to this... If you depend on your passion to be your main source of income, you're more likely to get burnt out... however, if you are not dependent on it entirely, you will still have your passion for it....I was burned out at one point throughout my photography journey... when I got a 9-5 as a Civil Engineer my passion for photography started coming back... I do it as a side hustle while still having the passion I had for photography/videography from the beginning...great video and respect to the decision you made, I know I wasn't easy 💪🏾
It's an idiotic mindset to think that any job you do will be fun all the time. As soon as you start doing something for money, whether its your passion or not, you will have to churn out content/products the market wants and not necessarily what you want, do tasks you dont want to do and work like hell. If you want to just create videos, then do it as a hobbie with no pressure. I write music for TV part-time, while it's fun, there are a tonne of tasks that are aweful and there is a lof of work for little reward, but you either suck it up or do it for yourself. I decided a while ago, to write music for TV with no expectation of ever doing it full-time because I want to enjoy it without the pressure.
So cool to hear another film makers journey in content creation. Love the growth mindset. I worked on big budget shows and things like that was always struggling to keep my head up when all I did was work then getting to make my passions.
I enjoyed this video mate, and feel like I needed to hear it. It's easy to get caught up in creating content and lose sight of why we do it in the first place. Most creators starting out (myself included) likely have a goal of "quitting" their 9-5 in order to be a full time creator. Having watched your video I'm definitely rethinking this, and will consider if that's a goal I should even have. Perhaps not!
RUclips just evolves. Once you have one video blow up it's difficult when others don't do the same. Mentally RUclips is exhausting and I think tik tok and RUclips shorts is partly to blame
This is only my 5th video (since I started posting again) and it’s getting WAY more views than I expected. I’m happy it’s getting views, but also kinda scared about it happening so fast..
You might think I am crazy but I think what's going on is that we needed the 50 year jubilee to reset everything in the late 90s. I think that somehow we inverted reality and now we are performing and working constantly and everybody is exhausted and confused.
I ran into this with my current business (not RUclips). It's a massive grind and I missed so many things with my kids. You don't really understand it until you have done it and you understand their burn out. Their desire to enjoy what they do. It's not so easy but it's fulfilling to know when to turn things off and move to something else.
Thanks for your comment! just subbed to your channel cuz I recently found out about container homes, and now I want one 😂 Your videos will come in handy if I ever end up getting one.
Great video. So much to unpack and discuss around this topic. I began my creative life as an artist, photographer, filmmaker (back when you had to use real film) and actor. Toward the end of high school I decided to enroll in film school, which lasted one year and I returned home and completed an associates degree in Journalism, then went to work at my father's sign shop and got married. Ten years ago my wife and I started our own sign business. Being self employed with a brick and mortar store has all the issues you described with being a full-time RUclipsr. I actually kind of miss the days of working for someone else; putting in my day and then going home, having weekends off and paid vacations and holidays. When we started our business we worked 60 hours a week, sometimes more. But the business also afforded me the ability to buy music gear and build a home studio and record my first album. So I had time and money to pursue other creative endeavors. I've been running my first RUclips channel for a couple years and back in November just reached 1000 subs. My goal is to become a full time RUclipsr. I can see how it might lead to creative burn out, but my day job already creates creative burn out, but at least if I was a full time RUclipsr, I wouldn't have to maintain a shop, with regular hours and could work from home. I think the moment you turn your passion into a job, it becomes a job. It's just how it goes. So unless you work for someone else, and you don't have to think about your business, you will think about your business, whether it is a brick and mortar shop or a RUclips channel. The world revolves around making money. It is what it is. But if you can gain control over your career and do something where you know you're not going to get fired for being late one day or laid off because of downsizing, at least you'll have that stability. Sure, I worry about whether we'll have enough work to pay our bills each month (we've never had a problem) and will probably worry about having enough likes or subscribers being a RUclipsr, but at least I'll be doing what I want. My other channel, the one that reached 1000 subs is about music. I can pretty much make videos about anything related to that broad topic, so the content ideas are almost endless. During my day at the sign business, I'm about to put graphics on an ambulance for a company that we've been working with since we started. I can't tell you how many of these ambulances I have done, but it's a lot. I feel like a robot sometimes, just doing the same thing over and over. Another thing, I think these RUclipsrs that are "quitting" will still be making money off their channels even if they don't post content. At least for a while. So it might be easier for someone with a huge following and lots of content to say they are quitting than someone like us, with fewer viewers and less content. If we quit, we'd vanish pretty much. Also, they may quit for a couple years and then come back. So it may not really be "quitting" in the strictest sense. Again, very well done video. Also...be safe out there.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lengthy and thoughtful comment, I love your perspective. and good luck with the channel, you sound like a serious person, I'm sure you'll manage to make it work!
All of the "How to succeed on RUclips" classes say you have to focus on the viewer, not on yourself. But I like the one for you, one for me method. You never know what the viewer wants, and you're here to share YOUR passion and YOUR kinow how, so don't make it all for the faceless people. Make stuff you like too.
Actually me too! to see what I actually ended up doing, if I followed my own 'advice' from this video and if I was right about it. and thanks for the sub!
I just retired from a 35 year career in the computer industry. Although I would describe my career as good, at no time was it fulfilling or meaningful. That’s prompted me to look back and evaluate my career choices. I wondered if I should have taken a chance, quit my job and pursued something more fulfilling, like photography. But more and more I hear things like the examples you shared that show the down side of doing what you love to make money. I’ve reached the conclusion that I’m probably better off by keeping work and passion separate. Great video!
This isn’t just a RUclips thing. Being your own boss and running your own business-from opening a store front to being a RUclips creator-will always be 24/7 job. These successful RUclipsrs though have put in a lot of work and have likely earned enough to financially give up the hustle. They now have the financial privilege to do what they enjoy, not just to make a living.
They made a ton of money, got tired of doing this particular thing and moved on. I don't think it's a secret thing. Probably also got stressed dealing with the business side as it got bigger, and most of these people probably weren't prepared for that aspect
What’s your describing is exactly what I’m trying to do. I have an accounting business that is not really my passion, but pays the bills. However, I plan to build my RUclips channel to talk about the things I’m more passionate about until it potentially might replace the income from my accounting business. But there’s not a lot of pressure on it.
you edited this video so well that I couldnt help but watch the video until all of a sudden it finished. I really think it comes down to mindset. Once you start seeing content creating as work and no longer a passion thats when you begin to burn out. It can be a hard balance for sure. I wish you the best on your journey
What a wonderful video. Thank you - you will go a long way with content like this. I’m a singer/songwriter and I can’t remember the last time I wrote something because of social media taking up so much of my time. The key is to keep it as a hobby and not let it become a business.
Great video
OH. MY. GOD.
I’ve leaned so much from you, it’s crazy for me to see you comment on my video!
It means so much coming from you, thank you!
Aliabdaal commented on your video! Yeah this is the video that will blow your channel, congratulations
Damn
I 1000% agree with the whole, "don't rely on it as your main source of income" that really does kill creativity and leads to burnout
I really appreciate this video. I think you have a great chance to be a successful creator.
RUclips has transformed our lives. We have over 30 million subs and 15 billion views between our 6 channels. , It’s also been the hardest endeavor of our lives. Recruiting and managing employees is my least favorite part. My goal is to remove distractions so I can focus on creating. If I can’t then I’ll quit.
Wow! Thank you so much, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
This is exactly what I needed.
I had recently been going all in on trying to build my RUclips channel and hadn’t worked a normal job in years with the hopes that my content/art/whatever was going to become a full time gig.
But when RUclips or any other creative outlet becomes something you need to profit from it can have a huge impact on the creativity and enjoyment from that thing.
I strongly believe in the law of detachment and the fact that you can have anything you want in life as long as you don’t need it.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Wow I agree with this philosophy. I share the same
View
Love this!! After college I dove right into content creation and it made me loose my love for travel photography bc I not longer was present in the places and would stress out about making sure I capture all the brand content perfectly, now I’m a remote designer and do my photography and art on the side and I can be way more creative and breathe and be authentic in my expression. People bash 9-5 but hustling for the next client all the time and being financially stressed is like a wet rag on the flame of creativity. Don’t force your creativity to support you in totality. It’s your inner child and needs the freedom of play
The best solution i did is built a business. So i can just create youtube contents with full creativity. Not chasing views, sponsorships whatsoever. But just for the love of it
Do you own a carwash or laundromat? What do you mean by business?
RUclips channels can be 7 figures per month business, and are indeed businesses.
Exactly, everybody has to ask themselves what they really want and how they can get there.
I’ve been on RUclips for 4 years this year and my goal is to reach the partner program.
Indeed...
I'm not rich, im not an expert, spent a fortune buying gear until i get guilty, but from day one i've never tried to moneitize any of my channels NEVER
This is a great example of what happens when you have to compromise your creative freedom for success. Art is subjective. Money isn’t everything. Just do what you love
Don't forget that being a RUclipsr is very similar to running your own business. You should upload things people want to see, just like businessman should offer product/service that people need. The most difficult part is starting and growing of course, but consistency and hard work (with a little bit of Famester of course to help) will always pay off at the end. Good luck to everyone, we will all succeed one day!!
True!
And good luck to you as well!
I just saw this very same comment almost word for word on the last video I watched..the name also looks like a bot kinda 😅 it's good advice in all seriousness tho.
Also, that doesn't negate that this is a really good video, one fishy comment may not be indicative of bot activity, who knows
Dude you are talented and a good storyteller. This was enjoyable to watch. And I was surprised when I realised it didnt have highly optimised retention editing.
Thank you!
This is a great compliment, since I’ve been trying lately to focus more on good storytelling to make a video entertaining, rather than a lot of annoying jump cuts etc.
Great video! I heared of many of those youtubers quitting and you did an excellent job summarizing the situation. I did RUclips full time for 6 years and I can also confirm many of the points raised in these videos. Eventually in 2020, I decided against the creator career and I don't regret it at all. Great script, keep up such amazing work!
As a channel with 90K subs and it being my full time job, I can relate to why creators are leaving the platform. It takes what you love and turns it into a job. The one thing I think people lose when making this their full time job is losing a key audience member. When you create as a job, your audience is your fans, vendors, sponsors, and partners. When you create as a hobby, your audience is your fans and *yourself*.
Great vid. Keep it up!
I love that insight, it’s very true.
And thank you so much for sharing!
My passion is making money. I like business stuff.
But maybe they just needed to stop going all out all the time. And just be OK with taking like a one month break from time to time.
This was a fantastic video, and very true. My other channel I built up to 26k subs in 2 years, but somehow things changed to really appeal to the people tuning in and subscribing and it turned into something different than what I started it for, and I lost all enjoyment and fulfillment from it. I'm making sure to stay true to myself with my new channel.
I'm a smaller finance channel and that's been the struggle as well, trying to find a balance between what will likely get more views and what we genuinely want to make videos talking about.
I wondered how many other people had been noticing this pattern. Glad to see this video is doing so well, congrats!
Very natural/authentic script style. Love it. Tired of all the stimulation overload and money-grabbing content. Great things take time. The long-road must always be remembered when considering these short-term desires.
Been doing RUclips full time for a year . I can’t wait to go back to work and make RUclips secondary again . I have no drive at all being a full time creator . It actually killed my passion for it .
Damn
That's sad to hear
@@DarneIITVit is but there’s no money in it either .. it’s a lot of work for very little reward . Think of it this way ; for every 10 successful RUclipsrs , there are 1000’s of RUclipsrs that are struggling .
Great video and an amazing subject. It's something I personally deal with myself as right now we're a family of 7 on one income, which is my RUclips income. Luckily I'm a wedding photographer as well however that job also is kind of the same issue that RUclips has. Taking something creative that you love and turning it into a job. A lot of it really is just balancing everything well to get paid but also still be creative. But at the end of the day a job is a job. It's rough stuff. Great video. Keep it up!
Thank you for making this video. You may have solved the mystery of what's been holding me back in my life.
First of all, good luck on your artistic journey! There's always room for new voices!
You say the goal is "doing what you love and making enough money." If that's the goal, you'll never get so much burnout that you need to quit. The problem is when the goal shifts from making enough, to building an empire. This stuff is absolutely sustainable if we keep it small and costs low. I've been doing it full-time for 15 years and my channel hasn't grown in years. I used to be ashamed by that, and now I've realized it's an asset. Nothing scarier than having a team of people and needing videos to go viral to pay them. I've been there!
Brilliant video, I work in as a video editor in an advertising agency and recently I have been losing passion for the work that I use to love to do.
This was a great dive into this subject, I’d wondered why so many were quitting too. It’s a shame they are going, but I bet they will welcome the change of pace. I’m guessing some will come back in the future but will probably just do what videos they like, when they feel like it.
This was a really great video buddy! You raised some awesome points for us all to think of.
Thank you very much! This was a thoughtful comment
thank you for these viewpoints! i experienced similar challenges outside of youtube and i am thankful for your reminder!
Completely resonate with this bro! Filmmaking quickly turned into a chore for me when I started trying to make money with it. All I ever wanted to do is just make films for fun and for the art itself. The key like you said is to have a different source of income that isn't tied the "success" of your art.
Can’t believe that you only have a few 100 subs, this video was so engaging, so well written, so well paced I could go on and on. Super excited to see your future work!!
Wow, thank you!
Can remember watching an artist that I used to enjoy watching do paintings try to do an upload while she was on her xmas holidays with her folks, she was crying at the pressure of posting weekly videos and not enjoying the time off with the family. Seemed a pretty sad existence, she ended up giving up.
Wow, that's where I'm most afraid of ending up..
@@notbengordon I always think if someone puts so much into the artwork, then has to edit and voiceover a video, add some b-roll and then promote it, it's easy to see how people burn out.
@@BitRench That's why you can batch videos, and then when you want or need time off, you post ones you made months earlier.
Nice Video. The reason I speculate on why so many RUclipsrs are leaving is because they feel burnt out or they want to focus on another topic that they are passionate About, I’m also gonna retire eventually because I’ve been doing RUclips for 10 years Straight. Good luck on your channel 🍀!
Great video. I was on the verge of shutting down my (admittely tiny, relatively speaking) channel, but then just decided to do it for the intrinsic reward - basically doing videos I enjoy making. 2024 will be the year to see if that decision makes a difference.
I think it’s amazing that you managed to gain a nice following from such a niche topic!
Just subscribed so I can also see if it made a difference.
RUclips is the ultimate hamster wheel. I'm not a big channel but the amount of work I have to put in to get the views I do get is why I have considered quitting many times... the last year things changed and views dropped significantly as a shift toward TikTok happened. How it feels for me is that the algorithm will make it really hard to get a push, but will kill a video really quickly .. anyway... 4 years in I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. Cool video mate, I wish you success on the platform.
This a raw realty and watching all those videos and yours as well just confirmed the same thing. I hope I don't burnout soon and keep doing vidros without burnout too much.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
This was an awesome video for someone just starting out because you provide great insight on how not to go down that path of no longer enjoying your own creations! I've had a few ideas on the back burner and now I have a much better understanding on how to implement one for as business and keep the other for passion! Thank you 🙏🏼
I’m so happy this video ended up being helpful for people!
Thank you for your comment!
Sounds like good advice! I do agree that when you are forced to do something that used to be a hobby can really change the parameters of that hobby. Good Luck to you! Cheers
I'm 0:32 in, and I can answer this question. And this applies to any career, hobby, past time - for me it was martial arts. When you're building something, eventually you reach a point where it's finished. It's built. You loved building it, and you love what you built. But it's done and you're ready to move on.
If Not Ben Gordon is a successful channel and everything goes great, some day you too will sit back with a mug of whatever you like, take a sip, smile, and say, "Aaaahhh. Finished."
That's called winning at life.
This comment made me so happy, you have no idea!
And it adds to a change in my thoughts I just had yesterday after seeing MatPat’s video about him quitting RUclips, he seems to be leaving for the reason you gave, which is a much better reason than just not enjoying what you do anymore.
Very interesting take! The "one for you, one for them" is a cool idea. And fueling one passion with the other is great too. I'm happy I stumbled upon your channel. All the best to you!
Nice video, well articulated and well made, congrats on having a video hit hard.
I understand where you are coming from as someone that recently started doing RUclips aswell, seeing all the people leaving and talking about how burnt out or dissatisfied with the "job" they are is a bit worrying but i will persevere and I wish you all the best in your journey.
I appreciate that a lot, and good luck to you as well!
As some one else that just started taking RUclips a bit more serious, I totally agree.It seems left and right someone else is quitting. Anyway your vid looks good man! Keep going!
I owned a 6fig photography business that I closed this past Dec. I used to love photography but I ended up hating it. During those 3 years I never went out to take my own photos like I used to. Closing my business was such a relief.
Wow! I'm curious if you'll find that you start enjoying photography agin like you used to after a while of not doing it as a job. I'd love to hear about it if that happens.
And I see you're starting on RUclips as well, good luck with it!
@@notbengordon thank you! picking up a camera to take photos still reminds me of work but i am hoping I am able to get back to loving it again soon!
Really great video from start to finish! I used to think I wanted to do YT full time but I realize I'm enjoying it more as my side passion project that comes with a bit of side income. Totally agree with this.
Agree
There are many ways to create ”passive income” online as a way to pay (some bills). Pod, selling digital courses etc. That way you don’t have to depend fully on RUclips or the ”passion job”. It takes 3-5 years to build different income source, but for creative people that’s in for the long game it’s worth it.
Congrats on your win with this video :)
Just starting too and it was freaking me out a little.
Empathize as I’ve had some of the same experience/feelings with my last startup.
A sobering reminder not to let it happen with this.
Surprised when i saw that you have just over 600 subscribers, thought that i missed few digits... Keep it up, you have the spark that is needed for RUclips!
You really did a bang up job on this monologue. It resonates heavily with me as I too have noticed this trend with creators who turned RUclips into a business - Matt D'avela for one. Even Casey Neistat recently in a podcast shared that same sentiment. My wife and I are creatives - She's a graphic designer, I'm a full-time content creator and strategist, and we're getting more into creating for ourselves as a way to keep practicing our craft, and putting out content as a way to just put out a good message to the world and share our hardships, lessons and stuff. It's not what it's all cracked up to be, but there's a way to find balance in all of it.
I have always from the beginning of setting up a you tube channel decided this is going to be a hobby only. A video log of what I am thinking and the places I go where I never know the outcome of what is going to happen. Thanx for a great video. Very inspiring
Super job of thinking this through. I wish us all this kind of wisdom. Thank you for the video, it’s resonating a lot.
Hey! RUclips sent me this :) nice job getting into the algorithm!
Thought-provoking video! My passion for learning and understanding ‘why’ led me to engineering, but I’ve been burnt out. This video has given me ideas on re-invigorating my career, for which I’m grateful.
This makes me so happy to hear!
Good luck!
Great video. I'm currently in a similar situation. I'm managing a growing RUclips channel and Instagram account that does comedy sketches. We have been starting to work for brands and the process it's always way more stressful than just making videos that we enjoy. Having an extra job gives you the ability to say no when work you know is going to suck comes your way.
It's a dream of mine to just focus on content creation, and not have to do other work, but some might not be as perfect as one thinks. Thanks again for the video, keep it up!!
Running a small YT channel and hanging out with a few other. It amazes me people approach that they can not put the camera down or enjoy something without trying to capture and share it. But I am also a low effort channel haha
This is a great breakdown. Keep it up!
Creators took it too far, it makes no financial sense or workload sense. RUclips was meant to be for sharing home or amateur videos, not for full broadcast quality productions.
Great video and well done research. I do hope you find that balance. What is going on with content creation is similar to what we see in most other creative endeavors like acting and music. When you HAVE to do something to meet your needs it becomes less fun.
The moment you feel like you HAVE to create content in order to make money (to pay the bills and/or make payroll for your team) or just meet deadlines years on end, it's downhill from there.
The key to making it sustainable is to just create what you love creating and nothing more.
One of the big reasons I’m happy this video did well is because I got comments from people with different cool channels like yours.
Sharing your channel with my father, he loves your type of content!
Thanks man haha! Maybe c u guys out there sometime on the road:) @@notbengordon
That's a great feeling that they feel like they worked so hard, and there are endless consumer's who destroy their life through yt content consumption.
I'm so glad I ran into this video. Really gave me something to ponder upon. Have been thinking about factors that make it sustainable to stay on RUclips in a long run. And this video gave me tips on just that. All the best with your content creation journey. I can see that we both are in the same boat. Lets hope we eventually find our balance.
I'll worry about this when the time comes
Bro I'm an aspiring content creator but it's an extension of my business.
I'm so glad you made this puts everything in perspective
Excellent work.
I have noticed creators absolutely losing it and disappearing never to be heard from again and it’s bizarre. One even moved to a new home with a basement just so she could have a studio space to create, made one video in that space and disappeared four years ago and hasn’t been on YT since. Another joined a cult, and yet another is so desperate for views and money that she puts no effort in any more and is uploading crap like four times a day that’s as minimal as her eating cookies, chips and cereal without saying a word (needless to say, I unsubscribed!). Thank you for the video and to the creators that you featured that at least have enough respect for themselves and their loyal viewers to say a thoughtful goodbye.
it's not RUclips owes you money, they just give you a free platform you could never afford to build.
I got recommended this video, this was a good watch! had a good amount of pacing, and well articulated content. 👍
Awesome video and definitely something to think about.
I also think that life has its phases and our personality is constantly evolving, there are times when we want to reorient ourselves, develop new dreams and move forward.
True. That’s a good perspective.
I work a full time job as well because RUclips income is so unstable and It was stressing me. Now RUclips is fun for me again and I feel free doing videos
I’m on the same boat. I’ve been doing RUclips for over 12 years and if it wasn’t because I have a regular daytime job, I probably would be at 1 million subscribers. But I have children and it’s not about what I want anymore. 5 years ago is when I had my first kid anyways it’s amazing to share creations with the public and the love of the art is what keeps me going.
Honestly, I'm relieved to have a regular part-time job. Content creation is really tough, chasing views, sponsorships, checking on metrics all the time, the financial instability, not everybody understands the rules of this game.
Great video. I’ve gone back to working a day job and then RUclips some evenings and weekends. It is INFINITELY more enjoyable when you don’t NEED every video to work/bang. If you want to do RUclips I advise doing a job that is low stress or work for 6 months hardcore then 6 months for yourself etc. Great vid bro. Very relatable
It’s so nice to see you, with a big channel who’s experienced the things I was thinking about talk about your own experience.
It’s very helpful, thank you for your comment! It means a lot.
Its the same with all creative work. After a while if you do not change direction, take a break, or do something tangible you will be exhausted. The solution is looking after your physical world, and changing tack periodically. I say this after 40 years as an old creative.
Burn out is real. Im an American living in Philippines , 3 years in , it seems like 9-5 7 day week for $300 month . No growth in over a year . I love it and will continue .
Awesome video!! Good script, I could watch from beginning to end without felling time passes by... Congratulations!!
Thanks a lot!
I’m happy you enjoyed.
I’m not subscribed but your video came up in my suggested feed. I love topics and discussions like this and I was quite pleased to hear that what you have suggested is already something I’m doing; have my own business that fuels my hobby, in my case it’s simply the time and flexibility to be creative and make videos every day. I also alternate between videos that are fun and easy to make every day, and a much better, longer, and more involved video once in a while. So far, this seems to be working well for me! I’ll check out the rest of your channel.
It’s really nice to see that it actually work in real life.
I appreciate you for sharing!
Great vid. Here is my 2 cents: I’ve worked with video production for over 10 years now. I resonate with you about no feeling inspired with taking photos on my free time, something I loved to do 7 years ago. My Job is still very creative and I mostly do creative tasks 8 hours a day everyday leading to that I feel uninspired and non-creative on my spare time. I would advice you to spend the next five years trying out as many creative things as possible to get a deeper understanding of what really fuels your creativity and then creating a way to make your living out of that. I don’t believe the idea of splitting your time between being creative and working a “normal job” especially if you want to do social media. Your time is limited and when you get older, have more responsibility, kids, parter, older parents - you will have less time for your self. A creative person like you should spend all your time creating things otherwise life will create tasks for you. You should do what you love, and that is what the rest of the world needs you to do! Keep up the great work and don’t listen to older people like me or other RUclipsrs telling you what to do. 😊
Wow thank you for your response!
I appreciate it a lot!
I wonder if it comes down to expectations. Expecting that a creative job will always feel creative and fun whereas any job has boring, tedious elements.
Knowing yourself is key. Its the base for everything. And i agree with the previous comment - as you get older youll have almost no time outside of your work, family and other commitments. Finding your own path without basing it on what others do is hard and it takes time. But so worth it. So looking what other youtubers or creatives do can be helpful but only afyer you've figure out what YOU want. I hope that makes sense.
Very true Veronika! I agree with you 👍
Thanks for the advice, good to know up front
Great video! 🙌 I think you’ve nailed the point exactly! A couple of years ago I tried to make photography my main business and my only source of income. This was a terrible decision and it almost killed my passion for photography entirely! I ended up getting another job and now filming and taking photos is starting to become fun and exciting again! Having a different daytime job and an artistic side career is probably the best way to stay motivated and creative in the long run. At least in my experience.
Real good
The timing for this couldn't be better. Had this very discussion with a friend. I find learning new stuff helps.
Very good vidéo ! I am a film maker freelance and the mistake a lot of filmmakers do is think that their passion is video.
its not. their passion is a topic. On my case i love the sea.
My passion is Film AND the Ocean.
+ is you get high ticket clients and you juste need 6 or 7 to live, you can chose them so no more annoying clients.
This is an interesting perspective I haven’t thought of, I feel like you’re right.
Thank you for sharing!
I really enjoyed this video.
This discussion about successful RUclipsrs quitting was intriguing, and you introduced me to creators I’ve never heard of before.
After starting my first channel, I discovered the same takeaway as you-creating content purely for monetary reasons is stress-inducing and uninspiring. Interestingly, I’ve found it much smoother to grow my second channel without the pressure of needing the income.
Wishing you continued success on your RUclips journey!
Good words!
@@WYDKLOVE THANK YOU!
The best RUclips channels are ones born from just capturing things you’d already be doing regardless of if you posted about it or not. I’ve been saying for a while now that RUclips was never meant to be a business, it was just something that kind of evolved and then many people thought there was no other way.
But then you have people like Mr. Beast, who decided they’re gonna be a successful RUclipsr from the beginning.
If you truly would’ve created the content just as something you enjoy doing, and don’t care about posting/getting views, why even post it in the first place?
I believe there are very few RUclipsrs like that.
@@notbengordon True. They wouldn’t have any content posted at all, so that basically eliminates anyone who’s ever posted anything 😂
I started posting to RUclips for fun and to share my work, but like many others I can’t say I wouldn’t strongly consider jumping on the opportunity to use it as a business if I had the chance.
The beauty in RUclips is that you’re free to use it however you’d like, however the downside in my opinion is that people see Mr. Beast use the platform in a calculated executive business minded way and assume they can use it as a get rich quick scheme. This creates loads of growth coach types, shovel salesman, and corporate guru types coming on here telling you how to get rich.
@@brendanpatrickmusicYes, very well said!
6:32 This is so real. I’ve been thinking about that in my case. For the real big ideas I have I want the video to be perfect to make the most success, where other ideas I am just making for myself 😮
They're just retiring. When you have basically beat the game, you just don't know what else to do other than quitting or do something else. If I had hundreds of millions that I don't have to go to work anymore, I would also just take a step back and try new things. They've earned it. They've won at life.
Fare enough, I like this answer.
I doubt that a lot of the people quitting RUclips made hundreds of millions. Many are quitting who've made a lot less. Making videos is lonely, hard work. The algorithm doesn't allow to you take a break. And you need to bring passion, energy and enthusiasm to every single video. It can take a toll on your mental health.
@@AccurateEnglish
Yes it's fun. But like anything that you want to be successful, people need to realize it's going to take work. Did people forget that? It's not always going to be 💯 fun. There will be aspects of it that you won't find as fun but it's part of it and you have to do it.
Tv show runners, stars and crew get bored on same series and leave for a new challenge. Movies are creative projects with finite time frames. Books in theory, the same. Always need a "there's a next mountain" even if it's just a concept of what might be interesting in 5 years.
@@AccurateEnglishI love that there are actual back and forth conversations going on in the comments here, and I love that even big creators like you are here giving your thoughts!
I appreciate it a lot 🫶
I agree with what you are saying... it all boils down to this... If you depend on your passion to be your main source of income, you're more likely to get burnt out... however, if you are not dependent on it entirely, you will still have your passion for it....I was burned out at one point throughout my photography journey... when I got a 9-5 as a Civil Engineer my passion for photography started coming back... I do it as a side hustle while still having the passion I had for photography/videography from the beginning...great video and respect to the decision you made, I know I wasn't easy 💪🏾
I appreciate this comment a lot!
Thank you!
It's an idiotic mindset to think that any job you do will be fun all the time. As soon as you start doing something for money, whether its your passion or not, you will have to churn out content/products the market wants and not necessarily what you want, do tasks you dont want to do and work like hell. If you want to just create videos, then do it as a hobbie with no pressure. I write music for TV part-time, while it's fun, there are a tonne of tasks that are aweful and there is a lof of work for little reward, but you either suck it up or do it for yourself. I decided a while ago, to write music for TV with no expectation of ever doing it full-time because I want to enjoy it without the pressure.
So cool to hear another film makers journey in content creation. Love the growth mindset. I worked on big budget shows and things like that was always struggling to keep my head up when all I did was work then getting to make my passions.
I enjoyed this video mate, and feel like I needed to hear it. It's easy to get caught up in creating content and lose sight of why we do it in the first place. Most creators starting out (myself included) likely have a goal of "quitting" their 9-5 in order to be a full time creator. Having watched your video I'm definitely rethinking this, and will consider if that's a goal I should even have. Perhaps not!
Same
RUclips just evolves. Once you have one video blow up it's difficult when others don't do the same. Mentally RUclips is exhausting and I think tik tok and RUclips shorts is partly to blame
This is only my 5th video (since I started posting again) and it’s getting WAY more views than I expected.
I’m happy it’s getting views, but also kinda scared about it happening so fast..
@@notbengordon I clicked thumbnail straight away. You nailed it mate great video
This is such a good video essay, thank you for continuing the inspiration going forward.
You might think I am crazy but I think what's going on is that we needed the 50 year jubilee to reset everything in the late 90s. I think that somehow we inverted reality and now we are performing and working constantly and everybody is exhausted and confused.
This was a really good video!!! Awesome job and really appreciate the information provided!!!
I ran into this with my current business (not RUclips). It's a massive grind and I missed so many things with my kids. You don't really understand it until you have done it and you understand their burn out. Their desire to enjoy what they do. It's not so easy but it's fulfilling to know when to turn things off and move to something else.
incredible video! Super underrated channel keep going
Excellent video, great thoughts! Especially helpful for me, who’s a photographer-youtuber
Good video, have liked and subbed. Wish you the best for your channel growth!
Good Luck. Thanks for this Video. Great script.
Good video. This is how our RUclips Channel works. The Container Guy is our core business and we make videos / give away all our secrets for fun.
Thanks for your comment! just subbed to your channel cuz I recently found out about container homes, and now I want one 😂
Your videos will come in handy if I ever end up getting one.
Great video. So much to unpack and discuss around this topic. I began my creative life as an artist, photographer, filmmaker (back when you had to use real film) and actor. Toward the end of high school I decided to enroll in film school, which lasted one year and I returned home and completed an associates degree in Journalism, then went to work at my father's sign shop and got married. Ten years ago my wife and I started our own sign business. Being self employed with a brick and mortar store has all the issues you described with being a full-time RUclipsr. I actually kind of miss the days of working for someone else; putting in my day and then going home, having weekends off and paid vacations and holidays. When we started our business we worked 60 hours a week, sometimes more. But the business also afforded me the ability to buy music gear and build a home studio and record my first album. So I had time and money to pursue other creative endeavors. I've been running my first RUclips channel for a couple years and back in November just reached 1000 subs. My goal is to become a full time RUclipsr. I can see how it might lead to creative burn out, but my day job already creates creative burn out, but at least if I was a full time RUclipsr, I wouldn't have to maintain a shop, with regular hours and could work from home. I think the moment you turn your passion into a job, it becomes a job. It's just how it goes. So unless you work for someone else, and you don't have to think about your business, you will think about your business, whether it is a brick and mortar shop or a RUclips channel. The world revolves around making money. It is what it is. But if you can gain control over your career and do something where you know you're not going to get fired for being late one day or laid off because of downsizing, at least you'll have that stability. Sure, I worry about whether we'll have enough work to pay our bills each month (we've never had a problem) and will probably worry about having enough likes or subscribers being a RUclipsr, but at least I'll be doing what I want. My other channel, the one that reached 1000 subs is about music. I can pretty much make videos about anything related to that broad topic, so the content ideas are almost endless. During my day at the sign business, I'm about to put graphics on an ambulance for a company that we've been working with since we started. I can't tell you how many of these ambulances I have done, but it's a lot. I feel like a robot sometimes, just doing the same thing over and over.
Another thing, I think these RUclipsrs that are "quitting" will still be making money off their channels even if they don't post content. At least for a while. So it might be easier for someone with a huge following and lots of content to say they are quitting than someone like us, with fewer viewers and less content. If we quit, we'd vanish pretty much. Also, they may quit for a couple years and then come back. So it may not really be "quitting" in the strictest sense.
Again, very well done video. Also...be safe out there.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lengthy and thoughtful comment, I love your perspective.
and good luck with the channel, you sound like a serious person, I'm sure you'll manage to make it work!
All of the "How to succeed on RUclips" classes say you have to focus on the viewer, not on yourself. But I like the one for you, one for me method. You never know what the viewer wants, and you're here to share YOUR passion and YOUR kinow how, so don't make it all for the faceless people. Make stuff you like too.
Just subbed, i would want to rewatch this video 10 years from now❤
Actually me too! to see what I actually ended up doing, if I followed my own 'advice' from this video and if I was right about it.
and thanks for the sub!
I just retired from a 35 year career in the computer industry. Although I would describe my career as good, at no time was it fulfilling or meaningful. That’s prompted me to look back and evaluate my career choices. I wondered if I should have taken a chance, quit my job and pursued something more fulfilling, like photography. But more and more I hear things like the examples you shared that show the down side of doing what you love to make money. I’ve reached the conclusion that I’m probably better off by keeping work and passion separate. Great video!
Thank you for sharing!
This isn’t just a RUclips thing. Being your own boss and running your own business-from opening a store front to being a RUclips creator-will always be 24/7 job.
These successful RUclipsrs though have put in a lot of work and have likely earned enough to financially give up the hustle. They now have the financial privilege to do what they enjoy, not just to make a living.
Thanks for this video, really great work, you have opened my eyes man. You earned a new subscriber:)
Thanks and welcome!
They made a ton of money, got tired of doing this particular thing and moved on. I don't think it's a secret thing. Probably also got stressed dealing with the business side as it got bigger, and most of these people probably weren't prepared for that aspect
What’s your describing is exactly what I’m trying to do. I have an accounting business that is not really my passion, but pays the bills. However, I plan to build my RUclips channel to talk about the things I’m more passionate about until it potentially might replace the income from my accounting business. But there’s not a lot of pressure on it.
you edited this video so well that I couldnt help but watch the video until all of a sudden it finished. I really think it comes down to mindset. Once you start seeing content creating as work and no longer a passion thats when you begin to burn out. It can be a hard balance for sure. I wish you the best on your journey
Thank you! That means a lot!
What a wonderful video. Thank you - you will go a long way with content like this. I’m a singer/songwriter and I can’t remember the last time I wrote something because of social media taking up so much of my time. The key is to keep it as a hobby and not let it become a business.