I Think I’ve Found True Balance Between Happiness and Success — One Without Burning Yourself Out.

At least, I think so. . .

In any case, I already drank the kool-aid, so there’s no turning back now.

Photo by Randy Fath | From Unsplash

It all started when I finally got one of my articles selected by the “Curators”.

I say we call them The Druids instead of The Curators. Why not? Think about it for a second and then ask yourself:

Do we really know what’s going on?

When you combine their mysterious identities and our general lack of verifiable, solid information about the specific process(s) they use to filter through the thousands of new articles posted on here daily to select those few gems out of the masses. . .

Well, it’s just strange when you really delve into it all.

Okay, I guess you could argue that we do know a lot about their process nowadays. But how do we really know that they’re telling us everything?

I mean, most of what I’ve learned about them and the curation process comes directly from Medium itself!

Or from the authors who are constantly picked.

Hmm. . .

Okay, I’ll admit that those sacred few writers who got chosen for Druid training by the top brass running Medium — the ones like Tim Denning and Gary Vaynerchuk — are pretty good at what they do.

Maybe that has a little bit to do with why their stories are always “Chosen for Further Distribution.”

Yet, there lies the problem!

They are great writers so naturally they’ll keep getting Curated, right?

Therefore all we know about these topics usually comes from who?

Them!

But, then again, who knows?

Conspiracy?

Probably.

Does it matter — not really.

The only thing I can control is myself and my actions. I’d like to add my thoughts to that sentence as well, but my mind tends to take over on its own accord at times, not always producing reliable results.

In all seriousness, this article isn’t about conspiracies between the Druids and the Medium Directors, it’s actually quite the opposite.

It’s about letting go of the daily morning routine of checking my phone’s notifications to see if there’s been any action on the article I just posted 6 hours ago.

The one I just posted before going to bed at 2:30 am.

If letting go of that chase causes me, causes us, to become better writers — then that’s the clear path to take.

It’s definitely the more enjoyable path to take. Less stress, more enjoyment. In a way it’s getting back to the basics of why I started a blog in the first place.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get into blogging on Medium just to stress out so much about why my articles aren’t getting the views I feel they deserve.

Note what I said just now: The views that I feel they deserve. Not you. But me.

Perhaps that’s my issue — not the druids and their cult.

I wish I had the answers, I really do.

In fact, I wouldn’t mind working like a slave and being glued to the monitor watching my stats and editing until my fingertips were bloody if I could make a pretty lucrative career out of it.

Hell, I’d even drink the Kool-Aid and join the Druids!

Where can I pick up a set of medium size, midnight black Robes at Tim?

What?

I don’t want to look stupid at my first ritual ceremony. Can’t a man worry about his appearance?

Who knows who I’ll run into there.

I could brush elbows with Biggie and Tupac for all I know!

Perhaps I’m contradicting myself here by telling you that I found a balance between success and happiness.

On one hand I’m saying to go back to the basics and just enjoy yourself — then in the next paragraph I’m literally saying that I’d sell out in a heartbeat and do the exact opposite for a little success and money?

Well, deep down we all have to be honest I suppose. At least with ourselves, if no one else.

I can write anything, say what I think I want, but it doesn’t change the fact that I’d love nothing more than to build a full time career out of blogging and writing.

I’m not saying that to have one means you have to abandon the other.

I believe the only to find true success on here is by enjoying the process more than the result.

By no means am I suggesting that this is how every successful blogger got to where they’re at today.

I’m simply suggesting that since I backed off from being so focused and centered on statistical performance that it has drastically improved the results I’ve been getting lately.

Sure, I still have to work hard.

Editing is a must, proof reading is still a daily routine, and I still have to scrap stories and start fresh because it just wasn’t panning out.

But constantly worrying and stressing about the why of everything was getting so mentally draining.

It really began taking a toll on me and in turn, affected my writing.

The worst part was that all the careful calculation and work I was putting into my writing was not helping at all. If anything, it made my stories perform worse.

Then one day I finally pin pointed exactly what had changed about the way I wrote.

I realized I had begun writing the stories that I thought were “in style” or that other people wanted to read.

I chose to write what I thought would sell, so to speak, over the types of stories that I actually wanted to write.

But!

Of course, there’s two sides to every coin.

I understand that you have to do some targeting and niche writing if you want to grow on Medium. It’s a fact of life as a blogger. There’s just too much competition out there these days.

If you put no effort into keyword planning or tapping into topics that people are actually reading, you’ll never achieve the level of success of those writer’s you see on your homepage feed everyday.

It all comes down to what you want.

You’re far better off not caring about those sorts of things. But, here we are again, coming back full circle to a concept I spoke of earlier.

Being honest with yourself.

My own truth: I enjoy writing for what it is. I’d happily do it for free until the day I die. Yet, it would really be nice to make a living off of it as well.

So, I have to incorporate some strategy into my writing. I just can’t let it rule me.

Since I’ve switched back to not caring (mostly) I began to enjoy writing again. Then, as I began to enjoy myself, the strangest thing happened.

My productivity skyrocketed and astonishingly, a miracle happened. . .

Can you guess what I’m about to say next?

Of course this is where I tell you that my performance, (statically), has improved.

I won’t be sly with you though. If you’re reading this then you deserve the truth.

Yes, my stats have improved, much more than I anticipated, yet they’re still not anything remarkable.

Not even by even the newest of writers standards. I think I made somewhere in the ballpark of $1.19 last month!

Time to quit the day job !

— honey, I’m an author now!

Reality check. Not close to the truth.

But there’s an even better reality check — the fact that I enjoy writing again.

The conclusion to all of this

Take what you will from this story. You can be in it for the money and retain your genuine voice. Still have passion.

If that’s your path and you don’t feel like your soul is being pulled out through your nostrils, then great!

If you just felt the back-snap of your soul smacking you in the eye like the first time you broke a rubber band in middle school trying to shoot your friend with a piece of paper, then perhaps it’s time to dial it back a natch or two.

Take a breath, realize you’re not abandoning your goal of becoming an author, of building a self sustaining career out of your blog.

You’re simply trying a different tactic.

Perhaps you’re good, don’t need to change anything. But then you probably wouldn’t have clicked on this article if you had it all figured out and was content.

You definitely wouldn’t have made it this far — that much I’m positive about.

Anyway, just remember why you write. Whatever your reason is.

If you stick to that and keep it at then forefront of your mind at all times, even as you strategize and scheme on how to grow your sphere of influence, I think you’ll be much happier.

Perhaps you’ll see better results as well!

Always remember this if nothing else:

People tend to gravitate towards others they feel are being genuine — they also tend to shy away from those who sound jealous, angry, discontent, or just outright fake.

Be true to yourself, but above all, be true to those few followers you do have.

I don’t care if you have less than 10 followers, if they’re reading what you write and they’ve never met you in their lives, then they deserve your respect and loyalty.

Not deceit and lies strung together to create articles that we think will “sell,” trying to imitate those who have already found there voice on here.

But then again, what do I know?

Maybe I’m just nuts and half in the bag.

Perhaps I’m alone here and instead of nodding your head while you read this and agreeing with me, your actually shaking your head in disgust, thinking me disingenuous.

All I know is that writing this was fun and not once did I glance at the clock and think of stopping to finish it another day.

It’s been far too long since that had happened — so I’m sticking to it.

I hope you find a path that makes you both happy and successful.

Oh, btw, if you do find that mystical Druid path that leads to the Free Mason built, Illuminati stronghold that they lend to the Medium Druid Curators Guild every Friday night — remember to let me know where the hell it’s at.

We’ll toss out all these morals I’ve been preaching and storm that place side-by-side. Then we stroll in, ready and willing to sell out in a heartbeat for a few thousand views and claps.

Shit, I’ll pour the Kool-Aid for both of us. If you hesitate, then I’ll drink your cup too and sell you right out as a spy. . .

Thanks for reading!

Y’all come back now, ya hear?