How to Stay Consistent with Content Creation

Last week, I published an article on Medium. It got accepted by a major Medium publication and also got curated (promoted) on the platform. I was excited. And nervous. But shortly after it went live – while checking the statistics obsessively – I noticed it wasn’t gaining the traction I’d expected. The stats were way lower than I thought it would receive in the first few days.

This is an old habit of mine that still rears its head sometimes.

I could feel myself slipping deep down the spiral of sadness. The spiral that starts with high expectations and ends in the pit of disappointment.

You probably know that pit. Along with the negative thoughts that fill it.

You write something, you think it’s excellent, and then you sit and wait to get ‘results’. High likes and comments and people signing up for your newsletters and offers.

But.

Here’s something for you to consider.

Or, actually, live by:

What if you simply wrote content to provide real value?

To help the people you intend to help. To put good, quality content out there into the world?

What if you helped people, without feeling you should be rewarded with shares, likes, sign-ups? What if those things were side benefits but not your main intention?

What if you showed up day after day, month after month, doing this?

What would be the result?

The simple question – and your honest answer – will help you write more consistently

When we detach from the outcome and connect with a rooted reason (helping people), we attach to the process, the act of sharing. We latch onto something much deeper and more fulfilling. This gives deeper motivation for those of us who are led to do things that feel purposeful.

When we write solely to get more eyes on our content, products, and services, we get stuck in the loop of high expectations and disappointment. Some of our content will get high engagement and numbers but some won’t. And each time it doesn’t, we’ll feel deflated and hesitant to share again. Before we know it, we’re making excuses about content creation and we start hiding in our (safe) shell.

Instead, write to give. And focus on that purpose.

The irony is…

By doing this – consistently – you will end up with likes, signups, sales…Eventually. It’s inevitable. You will attract a crowd of people who feel connected and grateful to you, to your work. Not wishy-washy fans who just want another freebie, but true fans who want to connect with your message. This is your aim.

And this isn’t the only motivator that’ll help you create content consistently. There are three more I delve into in the Consistent Content Creation audiobook.

But, first, wrap your mind around this one.

Sit with it.

To create from a place of sheer giving isn’t easy; I know. I struggled with this for years. And sometimes I still struggle.

It took me a while to get it into my head and through my bones. Like most of us, I was so attached to writing solely for numbers results (numbers of readers, numbers of dollars, numbers of sign-ups).

Think of your next blog post, newsletter, article. When you sit to write it, take a few deep breaths. What do you have to express that will be of high value? What can you give to your readers? What will feel like pure unattached giving?

Then…

Open up. Knuckle down. And write.

Alicia-Joy