Never Get High on Your Own Supply

When you first commit to creating content—whether it’s for your personal brand, business, or both—you’re stoked.. Even when it’s hard, it’s exciting. It feels like that first cup of coffee in the morning—you’re turbocharged, motivated, and ready to work.

You’re convinced this is the thing that’s going to change everything.

But just like coffee wears off, so does that initial spark. And content CAN change a lot, but for most of us it won’t change everything.

Even if we start strong and feel great, the momentum slows. It might be days or weeks but it happens (I live this regularly) and then doubt creeps in.

You start questioning:

• whether this whole content thing is even working

• if it’s worth the time and effort

• if it’s worth the money you pay be funneling into it

And here’s where most people make the mistake-

They assume that because they no longer feel that early motivation, the content itself must not be effective. 👋 

The Drift Happens Faster Than You Think

Creative entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to use content as what I refer to as a lateral business driver—meaning it’s not just for visibility, but it’s part of our strategy to grow our business.

The truth is if you aren’t actively pushing forward, you’re slowly drifting away ⛵️..

Content is like the countless fitness routines I’ve tried over the years - I look in the mirror disappointed that I don’t have six packs abs after a couple weeks. (Spoiler alert: I’ve never had a six pack)

Well, you don’t build a brand in a month of posting videos and hoping for virality.

But the second you stop trying, the second you stop driving toward your content goals, you start to drift away from them.

And just like fitness, drifting is never obvious in the moment. Just ask my podcast that’s been on the back burner for a couple months now after batching 8 episodes.

One missed call with my cohost turns into a couple weeks.

⬇️ 

A couple weeks turns into a month.

⬇️ 

Before you know it, it legit feels like we would be starting from scratch and it FEELS like something we should can.

And, it’s not because the content didn’t work. But because there wasn’t a sample size big enough to see if anything was actually working.

The Validity of Your Effort Will ALWAYS Takes More Time Than You Think

The biggest mistake I see as a creator and podcast strategist for founders? Entrepreneurs quitting before they’ve put in a sufficient sample size of content.

“There’s no ROI.”

“The content isn’t doing anything.”

You can’t determine the success of your content in three weeks, just like you can’t judge an entire business model from one slow ass sales cycle. The problem isn’t that content “doesn’t work”—it’s that most of us aren’t patient enough to let it work.

• How many times have you started something, only to give up before the results had time to compound? (🪦 RIP my Gluten and Dairy Free journey)

• How often do you tell yourself, Maybe this isn’t working, when in reality, you just haven’t given it long enough?

I don’t think this is because we believe in instant results, I think it’s because it’s SO much easier to say “f it” and move on. Way too easy. I had 2 podcasts before my 3rd one took off and that was over 150 episodes; and that’s a lot.

How to Stop Drifting and Start Driving

If you’re feeling that slow pull away from your content goals, here’s what you need to do right now:

1. Commit to a Timeframe, Not a Feeling

Feelings are not FACTS. Commit to a specific timeline—3 months, 6 months, a year—where you show up NO MATTER WHAT. The results will take care of themselves.

Caveat: If you have NO feelings of fear lean into that too. That’s how I got to those 150 episodes.

2. Catch the Batch

Energy surge? Motivated out of nowhere? Use it! Film, write, and plan as much as possible while you’re in that headspace and throw out whatever else you had going on. Future-you will thank you.

3. Create Accountability

A content calendar, supportive friends (like mine), or a team— can and will serve you. Don’t rely on willpower. Just like your phone, when it’s not plugged in - the battery and is draining. Willpower is finite.

4. Detach From Immediate Validation

You don’t have to be viral to be valuable. Look at ALL aspects of your content to see where you might be getting signals that it’s not totally ass.

If you’re reading this and realizing you’ve been drifting, that’s okay. But you can always, seriously, get back on the horse.

So what’s it going to be? Drift, or drive?

Hit reply and let me know what’s been holding you back. I’d love to hear your take.

1. This reel of mine did well. I’m currently working on a plan on how to make more of these regularly.

2. Our team launched a podcast yesterday! Fully Alive with Jeff Kapusta is out now on Youtube, Spotify, Apple, Times Square, etc. Pastor Jeff is the lead pastor at my church here in Wilmington and it’s an honor to see this podcast come to life. Don’t worry - while it has some religious and biblical principles it’s more about living a full life, especially if you’re meandering.