What I Learned in 2023 and 11 Lessons for Beginner Creators
Lessons from 2023 and where I am headed next.
I hate listicles.
Early in my writing career, I despised or rather disliked writing listicles. They seemed boring, trite, and often repetitive.
But thinking about it now, when you are listing things out, it’s hard to present something new. Though, I’ll say that the structure has its merits — for both the reader and the writer.
I am sharing 4 things I learned in 2023 and 7 I am hoping to do more of moving forward.
Let’s get to it.
The secret to becoming a successful creator is that you become a creator first and success usually follows.
Lessons from the Past: 2023 in Review
Here’s what I overcame in 2023, and how it can help you moving forward. We are born free, with nothing holding us back, but over time we build these self-limiting beliefs that start defining us.
For me, last year was the year where I started to break through these beliefs and be free again, and for you this year can be the year where you do the same thing.
1. Learn from others — do it fast.
Being a good writer is less about grammar or your ability to write but more about knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.
In 2022 when I decided to go full-time as a writer, I decided to join a copywriting community. I knew of Belinda Weaver, (she is amazing) and decided that this one is as good as any because Belinda converted me with her super personalized onboarding and the pricing seemed reasonable.
During this time, I learned 2 essential lessons about copywriting:
- Being a good writer is less about grammar or your ability to write but more about knowing what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.
- I need to be out there to make it as a writer.
I took action and it landed me 2 jobs, one of which turned out to be the one I am currently doing and the other gave me amazing insights into my work — something I would say is worth thousands of $$$ in experience.
2. What got you here won’t get you there.
This is a lesson I have learned early on in my career and it has helped me keep the ball rolling in terms of education and learnings.
Last year I went full-on creator mode and while I didn’t create a lot, it was monumental for early education in what it means to be a creator and what changes I need to make in my mindset to be one. Not even a successful one, just being one because most of the time, people get stuck on being successful at it.
The secret to becoming a successful creator is that you become a creator first and success usually follows. Eve Arnold’s journey has been inspirational for me and there is a lot to learn from her story. I have seen her grow right before my eyes and it’s inspiring, empowering, and powerful.
If the stakes are low to medium, and the reward has the potential to move the ball, DO IT.
3. Learning to overcome perfection
Time management is something I have struggled with mostly.
Not just as a creator but also in my day job where I am working as a content strategist and writer.
In retrospect, I struggle more with perfectionist attitude management than time because time, I seem to have enough of. Desire to hit publish? Not so much. I want to keep on editing until it is perfect and it is something I am learning to overcome.
This realisation led me to make one of the biggest shifts in my life I have taken so far — delegation. I hired a part-time VA/Social media manager and delegated the ‘hitting the publish button’ task to someone.
I can’t tell you how and when I decided to do it, but one thing led to another and suddenly I signed a one-month contract with one lovely social media manager who was posting about her services in a group. It was an impulsive decision, and that’s exactly the key takeaway.
If the stakes are low to medium, and the reward has the potential to move the ball, DO IT.
Don’t overthink it. You will either end up getting results or deep insights. I had a bit of both.
4. Energy Management Woes
One of the perks of working from home is that you get to make your schedule and sadly, this is also its biggest cons.
To overcome this, I have tried out different things like time blocking based on my energy peaks.
Energy management comes from being organized and protecting your time. I organize myself by sticking to a routine, I protect my time by assigning priorities to things.
A few other things I have added to my lifestyle include increasing my workout or activity levels and my protein intake — this helps with the focus and creative output.
Things are looking a little better, but this is a work in progress.
Moving Forward: 2024 plan
What’s in store for 2024?
I am going full-creator mode and while I am not promising to post every day, my commitment to myself is to post more often and hit publish.
- No matter how much I want to keep it in the draft because it needs work.
- No matter how much I want to edit and iron out a few details.
I will hit publish because ACTION over PERFECTION is my 2024 goal.
1. Return of the Self-Help [Meditation, and journaling]
I have decided to lean into nature and mental well-being again. I don't have a lot to say here except that I enjoy meditation and journaling and I would like to do it more often and with more discipline.
For meditation, I am listening to Brian Johnson’s Heroic app's daily meditations whenever I can and for journaling, I am trying out micro journaling.
2. End of the Practice in the Private Era
I have spent years wondering whether I am good enough.
- first, it was whether I was a good writer.
- then it was, whether I was a good copywriter.
- and lately, it's whether I am a good creator.
and I have concluded that there is no such thing as perfect.
What I can be is good enough and that’s good enough for me.
I stole this idea from Justin Welsh who has been an unceremonious mentor since 2021 when I first found his content on LinkedIn.
You only need to be one step ahead of the people you’re serving. — Justin Welsh
His words have somehow gotten through to me.
Why? If I ever manage to find the reason I will let you know, but until then, you will have to make do with this explanation.
This idea has been revolutionary for me because the idea that you can learn in front of the public eye went against my previously (misplaced) views of what it means to be an expert or even ‘professional’ anything.
Now, I am more open to making mistakes. More open to acknowledging what I don’t know, but most importantly, more open to just talking about what I do know.
3. Leading with Your Strengths.
I have never had a job. not even a single one.
I have always been a freelancer and it comes with the territory of working on your own.
This also meant that over time, I held on to certain ideas more firmly than others, especially the one about you need to know everything before you can offer any service.
This idea kept me back for a long while but now, I have reframed the idea of perfection and it is helping me be more open about what I know and what I have yet to figure out.
Before the idea of what I didn’t know held me back, when in fact, you should always lead with what you know.
4. You gotta do it step by step.
If you are at Step 1 and thinking about how you will overcome the 100th step, you are thinking it all wrong. You need to worry about the 100th step when you are at the 99th and trust me, you won’t have to worry about it then.
That’s my philosophy now, one step at a time.
One step forward each day means 365 steps forward towards the right direction and this is what I am focusing on.
Playing the long game doesn’t mean planning the long-term game.
Things fall into place. They have a tendency to do that.
Trust the process, pace your step and dive in!
5. Be ready to be inspired
I have followed and subscribed to hundreds of newsletters and watched unlimited webinars and started conversations with creators, service providers and industry leaders.
Why? Because I am looking for inspiration everywhere.
Knowledge is out there and you need to be there with an open mind to receive it.
If this tells you something about me, it's this: I don't believe in Inbox Zero. ;)
6. Be more vocal: Ask for help, Offer advice and just be Present.
Learn from those who know more than you, and teach those who know less than you.
This is another mind shift that happened to me over the past year. I have asked for help, sought out service providers and taken their 1:1 calls to see what they can teach me and it has been insightful.
I have never been stingy with my admiration and praise, but one thing I have never been is vocal. I am trying to change that now.
When I see someone producing great content, I comment.
When something in their post inspires me, I tell them.
When I have some value to offer, I share it.
Learn from those who know more than you, and teach those who know less than you.
7. Learn to be uniquely you
This is something I still trying to figure out. I know what I am passionate about, what I know, but I have yet to find the perfect catchy phrase or name for it.
What I do know is that there is my community out there and I am now ready to find it.
I will be posting occasionally, hopefully more than before.
My question to you is, what do you struggle with most as a creator?
What mental hurdles have you overcome in the past to create more?
Share with me. Would love your insights.
Till then.
P.S. If you connected with this piece and would like to come along with me on this journey, then Hit ‘Follow’
