“Expect to suck at the start.” Not necessarily the advice we’d like to hear when we start our journey as new content creators. 

 

But that is exactly what Evan Carmichael said as we sat down and discussed starting out in content creation. 

 

Whether you want to start a Youtube channel, podcast, or other platform for content, the mindset when it comes to content creation needs to be solid from the start.

 

Evan and I discussed this and several practical tips when it came to Youtube and content creation in our interview that you can listen to here in full.

 

But let’s dive into the advice he gave for new creators, and maybe you will take something with you that won’t suck 😉

 

Your Foundation for Creating Content

 

When Evan was first starting out as a young entrepreneur, he traveled and spoke at several international events. But the first time he spoke at a local event in his town of Toronto, Canada, something interesting happened.

 

The YMCA had asked him to come and speak for free at their event. They went all out and reserved a huge room for the event. Evan recounts how nervous he had been preparing for this event for local entrepreneurs.

 

The day arrived, and when he walked into the room to speak, there were a total of three guests there to hear him speak. Three! 

His first thought was, “How am I going to make money from this?” But then he quickly changed his outlook and thought, “They’re here. I’m here. It’s gonna be awesome!”

 

That day, Evan walked away from the event feeling like he had really helped those three guests. And it felt good! 

 

The foundation for his desire to create content wasn’t the money. It was purely the need to truly help people. 

 

I find the common denominator in terms of purely content creation, is people are trying to build an audience around creating consistent content to get the 1.8 million YouTube subscribers. 

 

But when the three people show up on their first time, they give up on it because they feel it is not that big of a deal.

 

Evan wasn’t attached to the numbers. He was attached to supporting and helping people. 

 

If your mission is attached to that sort of outcome, instead of just wanting big inflated numbers, then in my opinion, that is where the magic happens.

 

Evan’s Tips for Content Creation

 

At this point in our conversation, I asked Evan what he would tell those who were just starting out in the hustle of creating content and building an audience. 

 

The advice he gave is so beneficial, and you will see a difference in your mindset starting out when you take these three tips to heart.

 

First, tie your self-respect to the effort, not the result. 

 

Evan was confident in his work ethic. He showed up. Even if it was only for three people, he prepared and gave them the best he had. 

 

Do not wait to post your best content or worry about the quality of your creation until you have 500,000 followers. Start when you only have 5.

 

Because your self-respect and pride should be in the work you put in. If making a Youtube video or posting on Instagram is just to get a certain number of views or likes, then your personal confidence will vary according to how well the video or post does.

 

But if you are confident in the effort you put into the work, you can walk away satisfied and proud of what you have done whether 3 million people saw it or just 3.

 

Second, enjoy the process!

 

You have to love what you do. The road to success in the content game is not instant. 

 

So you have to truly love what you do! It will not only come across in your content, but it will be the motivation to keep going.

 

Enjoy every step of the process. There will be bumps along the way. Learning curves and times of doubt.

Believe me, the long nights editing and the long days brainstorming may not be that exciting, but if it is coming from a place of truly loving what you are creating, it will be worth it!

 

Enjoying the process will shine through in  your content as well. 

 

Having genuine and authentic content matters, and when you, as the creator, really are excited about the content, it will show through to your audience. 

 

And, if you love what you do, it will only strengthen your confidence and purpose. Even if you never hit 1 million subscribers on Youtube, you can still walk away satisfied because you know you have impacted someone with content you loved!

 

Third, expect to suck!

There it is…and it sounds a little harsh compared to the first two tips Evan gave. 

 

But this third bit will truly be the motivation and drive that fuels your dream to get better!

 

Let’s break this simple statement of “expect to suck” down into two parts.

 

The first being expectations.

 

When starting a new venture, we all have expectations. Expectations can be a blessing and a curse. It really comes down to how we use them.

 

That’s right, I believe you really do choose what you expect to happen in different scenarios. Expectations stem from our mindset. 

 

The psychology of expectations is fascinating. And while I’d encourage you to always study and learn more about the topic, here are two thoughts about expectations.

 

1. Do not pin your happiness on whether or not your expectation is fulfilled. 
2. Expectations are simply thoughts. We have to put in the work to make them happen.

 

Life is full of unmet or unfulfilled expectations. If our joy is solely based on our expectations, we are in for disappointment. 

 

And if we truly want our expectations to come to pass, we have to put in the work to make it happen. 

 

When starting a podcast, you may expect to receive a certain amount of downloads or reviews, but in order for that expectation to be met, you need to put in the work to make it happen. Provide quality content. Promote your show. Be consistent.

Now for that second part- staying humble.

 

The idea of expecting to suck isn’t supposed to be a depressing thought. More the idea that when you are starting out, you need to stay humble in your work. 

 

Understand that you will not be great in the beginning! Anyone who has created content for any period of time will look back at the beginning of their content and realize it wasn’t that good. 

But understanding and accepting that you will suck in the beginning is not an excuse to quit!

 

Here’s an excerpt from Evan’s discussion on the topic:

 

“You’re going to suck. A big problem is you expect to be great. Like, I can do that. You watch somebody on YouTube and say, I can do that, and then you go and you do it and you can’t do it. And then you’re embarrassed by what you look at. It’s like, I didn’t realize I suck so much. 

And then you never release it or you release one and done…But then if you only do stuff you’re great at right cause you tie your self-respect to the winning,  then you play small for life, right? Whereas, I don’t think that I suck as a human. I just don’t have the skill yet.”

 

See, Evan realized that expecting to suck could cause you to do two things- kick yourself down or kick yourself forward.

 

No one sets out to play small for life when creating content, but we often compare ourselves to others. And when we see that our beginnings suck compared to someone who has been in the game, we quit. 

 

But realizing you aren’t the best shouldn’t be your reason to stop. It should be the inspiration for what’s possible- growth!

 

Expecting to suck doesn’t mean you personally suck, as Evan said. It just means that there are skills to master that you won’t have mastered in the beginning.  

 

And when we expect to suck, we put in the work to practice the skills we need to get better. It’s the fuel for the fire!

 

I would only use a comparison as a kick forward where most people kick themselves down. - Evan Carmichael Click To Tweet

 

Practical Youtube Tips

 

Evan truly believes that the best place for someone to build a long-term brand is through Youtube. So I would be remiss to not have asked him his advice on creating content for a Youtube channel that sets you apart from others.

 

Here are a few key thoughts he had.

 

First, determine your lane.

 

Evan combined the idea of helping others by instilling belief with content that he wanted to consume that didn’t yet exist.

 

“So I made it, and just like every other entrepreneur, it’s like, you figure out what the hole is, what the opportunity is, and then you go and you fill it.”

 

Evan recommends starting with Instagram since it is easier, but he often encourages content creators to move to Youtube because the content lives forever. 

 

Create videos that are evergreen!

 

He talked about the simple fact that no one really remembers or cares about your tweet from a week ago, but most of his early videos on his channel still continue to get views.

 

Yes, will there be content that is outdated several years down the road, of course. But your content has a much greater shelf-life on Youtube versus other platforms.

 

Focus on being a thought leader in your lane

 

One of the most interesting things Evan mentioned in our conversation was that people often focus on bettering the wrong skill when creating content.

 

Focus your time on the actual content rather than the editing process. Unless of course, you want to be a video editor.

 

“So a typical person would spend 20 minutes making a video and then five, six hours editing it. You’re training the wrong skill. You’re training yourself to get good at editing when the skill you want to get good at is being able to speak content, get your ideas out into the world, and captured in a video format. You should spend five, six hours recording it over and over and over again, right?

So that you get to a 10 minute video that needs no editing. And then as you grow, you hire editors and you surround yourself. You get a team, but your ultimate goal should be as a thought leader.”

 

Conclusion

 

So how do we wrap this up?

 

When creating content, start new things. Expect to suck. Practice. Get better. Grow your brand, and find fulfillment in the process!

 

If you are considering creating content for any platform for any reason, don’t sit on your ideas! When we sit, we eventually settle!

 

Let me encourage you to start creating with the right mindset, and watch yourself grow as your content and skills grow!

 

Comment below if something Evan said helped you or stood out to you. And don’t forget to share this with a friend or fellow content creator who could benefit from expecting to suck 😉

 

See you next week!