Everybody loves observing success stories. Some people take great inspiration from fellow artists, writers, and content creators who have a lot of followers on social media and other platforms. Others seek advice on how to become a successful creative while the rest probably just sigh in disappointment thinking they’ll never be that fortunate.
What do popular creatives have in common?
If you are creative that is often on social media or writing platforms observing and engaging with other creators, what do you notice? Are all of those creatives exceptional artists, poets, and writers? Some of them probably are.
But here’s either a very comforting message or something that is weird to hear – you do not have to be extraordinary to be successful, you just need to be consistent.
One thing that you can find in common between most of the successful creatives is that they have a lot of content. They are also pretty consistent with their posting. There aren’t a lot of people that have quite a bunch of followers and have five pictures on their Instagram page and upload a YouTube video or a blog post once in a blue moon.
Why is consistency important for becoming a successful creative?
It’s nice to come to Instagram, YouTube, or a blog and see a lot of content to choose from. Hence, if you have a lot of content created a new visitor may resonate with at least some of your posts and hit that follow button.
The more content you create, the easier you are to notice. Internet is equivalent to an ocean when it comes to content sharing. Sharing so much content of your own that it outshines all other content, is the same as putting an inflatable duck in the middle of an ocean and hoping it is seen from space. However, you can get inflate the duck so big that it’s seen from a helicopter. Like this one.
Practice makes better. Don’t be afraid to put your best content forward because you’ll always create some more. Everybody experiences writing and art blocks, but the more you practice the easier it will be to silence your angry inner critic and produce some great content.
Social media algorithm loves consistency. Megan Rose Ruiz is an artist who also makes TikTok videos, has recently uploaded a video talking about the Instagram algorithm. In the video, she uses an example of the artwork she uploaded to Instagram which got 300 likes. At that time she would post only every other week. After she changed her Instagram strategy and started posting every day, she re-posted the same illustration and it got more than 100 thousand likes. Hence, she encourages everyone by saying that their content is probably amazing, it’s the social media algorithm that is messed up.
Bottom line
This post is not to say that all credit goes to just pushing out an extreme amount of content. It is to encourage everyone that is doubting themselves. You don’t have to be Monet to be noticed. You can be you. Someone that is not perfect, still learning, just feeling happy doing what they do, and still find a crowd of people that love your work.
Get out there. Post your best content and sit down to create some more. Worst case scenario, you’ll just get pretty damn good at what you’re doing. Maybe even extraordinary and you will be able to paint or write that one piece once in a while and be applauded by thousands.
Best case, you’ll actually become that successful creative that you aspire to be.
And it’s always better to ask yourself “What’s the best that can happen?” instead of the “What’s the worst?”.
Many successful people have something in common: they persevere and they don’t quit. This might translate into someone who demonstrates consistency. They also share this unspoken truth: they have pasts full of failure and obstacles. Not one person has had success without failure!
People who give up before they start are the norm, the mainstream folk. It’s as if they are afraid of failure. I don’t think that someone needs to use social media to be successful. I’ve seen widely successful bloggers who only stick to blogging and not much else. Sometimes social media simply compliments a person’s approach to tapping into their creative side.
Very good point Hilary! And I agree about social media, there are indeed bloggers that make without it!
I love that last Doubt/Do image! And I also whole heartedly agree with practice makes perfect! While you can have a natural gift at something, hard work will always make you better!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
I accidentally found it and thought it fits perfect here, haha. You’re so right!
You’re spot on about not being afraid to put your best work forward. We will never grow if we hold back, and it’s impossible to always have hits. Creativity is a process that needs to be experienced and enjoyed.
So true! ♥️
Yes consistency is key. Yes it is a good thing to be creative. And try something new
Totally!
Great post! This is exactly the energy I need starting 2021! 🙂
I’m glad! Keep this energy throughout the year!
Thank You for the supportive energy! I do enjoy reading your posts! DOUBT-DO, you nailed it!
Thanks a lot!!
I think you just have to be really determined and motivated to make it as there is a lot of competition. Not everyone is willing to put in the time to make it, or not everyone has the luxury to be able to!
Corinne x
Absolutely!
It’s so true! Sometimes you look at popular accounts and see they aren’t really offering anything unique or spectacular (not in a negative way) then it’s really clear that they post in a way that the algorithm likes, combined with something about their personality (usually/ hopefully) that makes them do well. It really does give you hope that it can work! x
Glad you’ve noticed that! It is quite inspiring. And it doesn’t mean they’re not great creators. It only means that other good creators really have a chance.
Fabulous post! Personally, I think creativity is a God-given gift. It doesn’t matter how often it’s done, if you’re good at it – whether you do it once, stay consistent or none at all, it’ll always remain. For me as an example, I believed God blessed me with the ability to write well enough. I went through phases of not writing at all, and worried I’d lose that creativity – and never did. X
Thanks a lot! It’s great that you feel this way! I think about it a bit differently. Creativity is a gift and perhaps not everyone is blessed with it. However, I still believe in the 1% talent and 99% hard work quote. Motivation, imagination and ability to generate new ideas can be linear, but how well one realizes those ideas increases with practice.
In terms of success and stuff, I see the ability to actually put a post out – and writing it well as the successful part. No-body but you knows how well it’s done. The more you stick at it, the bigger it grows. Also, try sending it to brands you enjoy. Seeing if they are looking for collaboration.
This is a really interesting post, Toma! Consistency is definitely an important part of becoming successful in such a field. I’m someone who is wildly inconsistent when it comes to blogging, and I think I’ve found trouble in maintaining that steady following that comes with being consistent.
I think it comes down to what being successful means to us personally as well as setting realistic goals. I’m definitely going to try to be more consistent this year, but I won’t be too hard on myself if I’m not and I’ll certainly work on getting better as a writer so that what I do post gets closer and closer to what exceptional is :))
Great post, and so glad to have found your blog!
Thanks a lot, Arshia! I struggle with that too! My motivation and creativity really comes in waves but I’m practicing to have a more linear pattern haha.
That’s the way to go! It’s good to set goals but when they’re set too high that just becomes stressful and frustrating. Best of luck with blogging this year, be kind to yourself and be exceptional hihi. I’m glad that I’ve found your blog! ♥️
I loved this post so much. Your entire website is beautiful.
You are absolutely correct about consistency and constantly creating content that one can find relatable if they happen to stumble upon your blog/art. Whenever I am consistent, I notice so much growth on my profiles and engagement in my content.
Thank you for this.
Thank you!! I can say the same about your blog! ♥️
Glad you’ve noticed that! Thank you a lot for reading.
This post is absolutely brilliant. I suffer from impostor syndrome (along with many other creatives) and it can be hard to ignore the annoying voice in your head and just push out more content. Thanks for sharing the TikTok story – consistency really is key.
Thanks a lot Rhi!! I totally feel the same! Really trying to fight that angry dwarf inside of me haha. I also thought that the video is really encouraging!
I found that there is room for success for everyone. People don’t need to do the most to be successful. They can do enough and still be well off. I agree with consistency. I am a big believer in practice making better. How else do you reach your goal? Sometimes, it doesn’t happen the first time around either
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
You’re totally right!
I’m bookmarking this. I often forget that practice makes better, and more content makes you more visible, and get in this awful negative spiral instead. But you’re totally right!
Paperweirdo
Thanks a lot! I’m glad you feel this way. Best of luck creating content and getting better at it!
What a great and helpful post! Instagram definitely rewards people who use the app regulaurly xx
Hannah | https://luxuryblush.co.uk/
Thank you a lot Hannah!