Why? Times change, society changes, the standard changes. Anyone out there with an iPhone or a camera with 720p recording capabilities can create. Everyone can be a creator. Fact is, society is just so used to creating now but with creation, comes the process. Think about the process. Let's say you're just starting, right? You have to invest hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars in video equipment. If you don't have a computer, you have to invest another hundred to a few thousand, depending on which brand you want. In total, you're bound to spend a few grand. That's not fun, now is it? And then what, you get the motivation because you're watching other YouTubers highlight reels and then make a few videos. You're not getting the views, you try for a few months, and then give up because you can't find the right demographic. Why's that?\
Something Gary Vaynerchuk brought up really struck me. A good majority of the people are creating content but they're just putting up a front. They're creating to create. Creating doesn't show the grind, it doesn't show the process, it doesn't show the behind-the-scenes. I know this all too well. That's the reason why I stopped doing YouTube vlogging a long time ago, just right before clickbait started. I wasn't generating the views even though my niche was automotive car culture, long before anyone started. This was back in 2011. Why? I was only showing the important aspects and highlights. I wasn't showing the behind the scenes because in my eyes, no one likes seeing the raw material. A lot of people want to be content creators because they see successful content creators having all the time they have in the world and even more importantly, it gives them the freedom.
Documenting, however, is a whole new ball game, and there's a reason why not many people are doing it. Documenting means filming and recording everything, from start to finish. The power Gary has through documenting is scary. He can be filming the whole day, an idea pops into his head, and he can just cut out a 30 second to two minute snippet from his whole day of filming and generate leads. That, is powerful.
People do not document because they don't want to show the world their flaws. They want everyone to see they are stable and for the most part, perfect. The ones who really have no time, that's understandable, to an extent. People who do not like their 9-5 jobs can document during their 1-2 hours worth of downtime before their dinner or sleep. Students can document before or after school. The most important aspect about YouTube life now, I believe, is more documentation than creation, than ever before. Anyone can create, but it takes guts and self confidence to show your true self and document your life. Especially nowadays when society is competitive against each other and every industry is competitive against each other, it's the documentation that really counts. Gary's right, people want to see the grind. Anyone can show the results, but few are willing to actually broadcast and show the process.
This is why I want to start documenting. I have nothing to lose. I've already put out my most vulnerable self out there on the internet. I got nothing to hide. From someone who has extreme social anxiety who gets sweaty palms, cold chills down my spine, to a shaky voice from just asking a simple question, I'd really like to show people it is possible to completely break out of that boundary and grow to be able to conversate with anyone.
What's stopping you from documenting?
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