How to Start From Zero
Most people think they’ve missed the bandwagon on the creator economy. But I see it differently - the opportunities that exist today didn’t exist earlier.
The internet is dynamic and so the creator economy is changing as well.
Twitter has become X and is crap now, whereas my cute little Substack newsletter, where I just write personal stuff, has the community and interaction that Twitter once had.
So if you were to start now, here’s what I recommend.
First, just write online.
Aim for thrice a week and move up slowly till you reach there. Now you’re probably worried about
what to write
“I have nothing special to say”
“People will laugh at me”
Screw all those thoughts and write.
The best way to screw them is by recognising that they are just thoughts, not the reality. They’re stories your brain tells you and it’s a choice to believe them.
Often, we believe these stories and spiral down. But life changes when you realise everything is a choice.
Now you may have seen the importance of thinking right.
But it’s way more important than you think because if you don’t work on this negative inner voice, you will not be able to show up consistently be bothered a bit too much about what others say already believe that you won’t achieve your dreams
Something that helped me was working on my belief systems, which was hard as a former fat kid who always believed they weren’t good enough.
Reading books around it helped me break free from old patterns.
Another thing that helped was binge-watching YouTube videos of people who made it and thought
if they could do it, so can I!
And then...
Write every day even when you don’t want to. Do not rely on inspiration; create systems instead.
The best one to start with is to always note down your ideas because you will forget them, and take 30 minutes to write every single day.
I know you’re not going to write your ideas.
Neither did I.
And after forgetting them repeatedly, I now try my best to jot them down.
Being mindful is the only way to keep getting new ideas.
Observe your surroundings, notice your conversations (a lot of my posts are around the conversations I have), be aware of your thoughts, and consume good content - these are all ways to get content ideas.
Evergreen strategies.
And when you write online, screw the numbers.
Most people get this part wrong.
You don’t need crazy big numbers to make an impact or make money. Take it from someone whose Medium articles sometimes get thousands of views yet earn only $10, and whose LinkedIn posts have gone viral yet brought in zero customers.
The numbers game is stressful and doesn’t work.
As you keep writing, don’t forget to engage with your audience and other relevant people
This is the part most people miss out on because it’s too much effort. You probably think that you’re writing anyway so you will grow.
Sadly - writing this way is like talking in an empty room. Nobody will see your work.
When it comes to money, the technique is similar to what you use for your ideas.
Speak to people around you.
Solve their issues.
You can be like my friend who launched his course just because he saw others running one. He didn’t even conduct a free cohort as I advised him. Unsurprisingly, the cohort died within a month.
Instead, what works is understanding your audience noticing their issues seeing how you can solve them.
If you freelance, people will pay you for the value you put on the table. If you create products, people will pay you for the problem you solve.
Starting from zero is hard, I know.
In fact, zero to 100 followers is harder than any other metric.
But once you keep at it, the only way from there is up.
Start now, figure it out later. Figure it out along the way.
All the best!
Love,
N
Just starting from zero today… thanks for these insights 🙏