We Often Click on Bulls***, Instead of What Will Help Us

Listen to me read this article out as an audio:

A lot of content on the net appeals to the lowest base instincts in us; anger, hate, pride & ego, victimhood, fear, sadness, grief, pain, suffering.

A lot of the mainstream media and the news and what governments put out, appeals to these low level base instincts in us. The media and the news, for the most part, want you to feel upset, angry, fearful, in pain… unhappy. Pain sells. Fear sells. Hate sells. A cursory glance through the history of the last century shows you where that hate and pain can lead.

A lot of social media is like that too – Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, Tiktok, etc. There’s a lot of “drama content” on the internet; clickbait designed to make you mad, make you upset, make you rage. The animal inside us sometimes can’t help but click on that stuff (even though we know full well we’ll feel worse after consuming it). Negativity is incredible enticing.

At times in the past, I myself have been tempted to do “viral content” that I know will hit it big and bring in tons of views (and more money), at the cost of putting a bit of negativity out into the world. That temptation has called to me at times – the temptation to get views, to get clicks, to get likes, to make money. To feel… “important”. It’s been a really strong temptation at times.

I won’t lie; I’ve been tempted. Sometimes – especially during the first couple of years – I did use clickbaity, negative titles in some of my articles and videos. But I’ve gradually let go of the need to “go viral” or “become famous” or “make a ton of money”, if it’s at the cost of your happiness – and the cost of my own peace of mind.

These days, a lot of the titles I use for podcasts and YouTube vids aren’t the most clickbaity way I could phrase things, but I’d rather they be honest titles that tell you what’s in the video… rather than just get you to click out of fear of missing out, or anger, or any of those lower-level emotions.

It’s meant at times it might have taken a little longer to build my channel and build this community. And it’s sometimes meant some sleepless nights in the first few years, when I was stressed about how I was going to pay the bills. In those moments I was very tempted to do content that would “appease the algorithm” and talk about topics I knew would blow up and get lots of views… but maybe weren’t the greatest stuff to be putting out there when it comes to your mental health (and my own peace of mind).

So I very willingly and happily made the choice to say “It’s ok if I’m stressed about money for the next few years – it’ll be worth it in the end, when we’ve helped people without using manipulation tactics on them, or toyed with their emotions, or used them to get money.”

We’ve built this great community that we can all feel “safe” in – and we can trust. And I trust all of you deeply – the nicer and more honest I try to be with all of you (even when vulnerability is terrifying for me), the nicer and more honest you all are with me. As you give, so shall you receive.

I feel like everybody here has a big heart and just wants each other to WIN. Nobody here is trying to “use” each other; nobody’s trying to “get” something from each other. We’re all here because we want to add to the lives of the people around us (including ourselves); not because we were “tricked” into it with clickbait titles and appealing to low-level base instincts, or from psychology tricks that marketers & advertisers & regular people can sometimes get caught up in.

It’s nice building a community where we all get to focus on the POSITIVE, and leave all that negativity behind.

If you’re wanting to do something similar in your own business or in your own dating life – use this amazing community as an example that you’re allowed to be fully upfront and honest, you can focus only on the positives. You don’t have to use “tricks” or “techniques” to get people to stick around, or give you money, or sleep with you.

You’re literally allowed to leave all that behind and just be raw and real and honest with people. Some people won’t like your honesty – and that’s ok. Some people won’t resonate with your message or who you are – and that’s ok. But a lot of people will – those are the people we spend our time with.

I’ll finish up by saying I’m super grateful to all of you for being here. You’ve helped me… no, us – build a really beautiful community full of positivity, where we all lift each other up, push each other to greatness, celebrate each other’s wins (no matter how big or small those wins are). We all want each other to win and to have a positive impact on the world, and I absolutely love being here right beside all of you. I feel like we’re all here for each other, and it’s absolutely amazing to be part of this.

As always – go out there and crush your goals.

Thankyou for helping me build all of this. I appreciate you, more than you know.

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