Success is a deceitful mirror.
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The moment you start succeeding in life and business, you face your most dangerous test.
Not failure, but the success itself.
Most of the incredible writers and creators I know started with the purest of intentions. They built something meaningful based on how they really think.
Something true and real.
Then the world notices, and everything starts to shift.
First come the likes. Then the followers. Then the money and opportunities. And with each new reward, a little transformation takes place.
You think you’re still the same person. But you aren’t.
Success is a mirror that can very easily lie to you. It’s very good at showing you what you want to see, instead of what’s actually there.
When your work is praised, a little voice in our head naturally tells us to start doing more of what earned that praise. When your content gets attention, you unconsciously lean toward creating more of what got attention. When a certain approach makes you money, your first instinct might be to double down on it.
It’s so gradual you probably don’t even notice it happening.
The algorithm starts rewarding you with a bit more visibility. Then? Your audience starts clapping a little louder and engaging more frequently. Suddenly, you’re bank account starts growing the same way your content is.
Over time, the mission that once began with your authentic voice is now 100% focused on validation and earnings.
I know this because I’ve been there.
Every time something I wrote went viral, I felt that magnetic pull. The pull to recreate that success and to chase that high again. The metrics became the mission, and the applause became the goal.
But I’ve learned something important over the last six years or so. The moment you optimize for external rewards over your internal mission is the moment you begin creating something that doesn’t really matter.
Not to you. Not to the people you’re trying to reach. Not to anyone.
Your audience will sense the difference. They can feel when something comes from an authentic place versus something that’s engineered for their approval.
The most respected writers and creators I know have learned to recognize and resist being pulled away from their “why.” They’re on a mission that keeps them focused on what truly matters, even when “internet fame” and success try to pull them away from their authentic voice.
Maybe it’s time you looked at yourself through this lens. Are you creating what you believe should exist? Or are you creating what you think will be rewarded?
There’s absolutely no shame in wanting success.
Success isn’t the enemy.
Forgetting why you started is.
What’s your take on today’s topic? Do you agree, disagree, or is there something I missed?
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Maybe it’s because I’m a bit older & hopefully wiser, 😜 but I believe this path is avoidable.
I’m in the “creator” lane by necessity of having an online business (LinkedIn ghostwriter & growth strategist w/a side dish of getting clients podcast guest interviews which fuel a content flywheel & support new business).
But I spent decades doing PR, audience growth & new biz dev for others-authors, experts, CEOs, business owners.
During a recent chat with someone in a similar lane who is opting back into corporate - I saw something that shocked me.
His ego really got in the way of his business.
I don’t mean that as an insult at all - this is a lovely person.
But I see the same elements in today’s Unsubscribe essay “A Deceitful Mirror.”
When you focus on the real “business” & not the “self” this myopic lane is avoidable, IMO.
I focused on:
“What is the audience really looking for?”
“Why did they respond to this?”
“What will they need to learn or do next?”
“Am I positioned to have that for them to purchase?”
Now, that doesn’t sound much different from what the article articulates. And yes, it led to dismay, but it is a different mindset lol.
And maybe it’s just because there were more dimensions to those businesses if that makes sense. (Not just online).
For example, if your content exists to sell your services, what is the next question or confusing part of the customer journey where they might trip or need to know something specific? That’s your next piece of content.
Your impressions, engagement, etc are a factor to consider, but not the only one. Obviously 🙄
When online business owners take their business offline, it might be easier to see this?
Go to a conference. Attend a monthly group meeting. Talk about what you do to other people who aren’t invested or won’t just tell you how great you are.
I think ego is the real enemy here. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the personal aspects of watching your content blow up or tank.
PS. Justin, Absolutely loved your recent pod interview with Nathan May, Personal IPO. I got so much out of it & appreciate how much you shared. Especially enjoyed hearing about how you built, nurtured & grew teams. More people need that skill set. And businesses need to see & reward the people who do it well, as it’s a rare skill!
Couldn’t agree more, Justin.
Success quietly rewires your motives if you’re not paying attention.
These days I measure alignment first, metrics second. Keeps the work honest.