Starting Youtube — Can I Get Out of My Own Way?
It took a lot for me to get started writing on Medium. I had feared that my writing wasn’t good enough. I convinced my self that no one cared about my thoughts. I also had anxiety about what the people closest to me would think; however, when I finally took the plunge to publish my first post I realized that my only true barrier was self doubt.
Overcoming my own objections and beginning to write has been a blessing in so many ways that I never would’ve known had I let my doubts get in the way. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that none of my doubts held true. All the issues that seemed so real to me apparently only existed in my mind.
Then why am I allowing the same doubts to stop me again?
I’ve enjoyed creating so much that naturally I want to pursue creating bigger and better things. I’ve thought to myself that I should take on more DIY projects around the house or start working on some art projects — maybe some origami or drawing. I’ve even dug up my wife’s old DSLR camera and ordered an SD card so that I can start with some photography and videography.
As part of this journey of creating there is also an urge to share my work. I don’t want to only create beautiful things, I want to create beautiful things for the world to experience. This has led me to wrestling with the idea of starting a Youtube channel as I feel like I have so much to offer. The only obstacles in my way are practically the same as what stopped me from writing. Why do I keep holding myself back?
I’ve decided to cross examine myself in this post and see if my doubts hold any weight.
Excuse #1: My ideas aren’t good enough.
I know I’m creative enough to come up with original content. Does that necessarily mean I will be “good enough?” Well it depends on how I define “good.” If I’m looking to gain millions of subscribers, then no my ideas probably aren’t good enough.
But what if I create a Youtube channel that me and my loved ones appreciate even if no one else does? I think I can live with that even if my ego gets a bit bruised.
Excuse #2: My closest friends and family will think I’m a weirdo.
This is probably one of the biggest doubts I have. I keep worrying about what people will think of me and my motives. I had the same concern when I was beginning writing so let's re-examine how that went.
So far everyone I know has been really supportive of my writing. I haven’t had one person say anything negative; instead I’ve had more kind words of support than I’ve ever had before. I also think with video content I could have friends and family participate which can become a fun activity for everyone.
As for anyone who assumes something negative about me, well I wouldn’t want a hater to prevent me from trying to create something meaningful. I also wouldn't want to pay them any attention, so why let the mere idea of them stop me?
Excuse #3: I don’t know how to make or edit video content.
I’m less worried about the quality of the production as I am the quality of the content. I think it will be a fun learning experience to play around with video production; and I know that I have a lot of support online and through my friends and family that can help me through the process. In the end, it will take some time for me to make a high production video but I’m willing to begin that journey.
This post hasn’t completely removed the butterflies from my stomach; but it does show me what I think I already knew — I have no reason to stop myself from creating video content if that’s what I end up deciding. I don’t need to stay committed to this, and I can treat it much the same as I have my writing: come in with zero expectations and create content that is interesting to me.
If it turns out there is an appetite for what I produce and people like it that’s great, but if not then I’ll take solace in knowing that I put something meaningful to me out into the world; something that can become part of my legacy and survive long after I’m gone.
I’ll leave you with the video that got me started on seriously thinking about doing Youtube below. Hopefully it inspires you to create more in your life as well. Also, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the responses below.
