Hello world.
In 2007, I excitedly published my first YouTube video after hours of practice. I taught myself how to set up, record and upload. I was finally making my debut online.
Over the next 7 days, I received a grand total of 24 views.
I felt frustrated, annoyed. Confused. I had thought that the quality of my playing would attract a lot more people.
I kept publishing. Weeks of silence.
The Void is gamer shorthand for grinding early levels with no rewards — for creators, it’s publishing when no one notices.
Eighteen years and 16 million views later, I’m back in the Void again. No one’s listening — yet.
Staying motivated is the only way through. Here’s what keeps me going.
Shifting Mindset
I accept that I’m new to writing. Like my old cardboard-box violin, these first posts are rough: dropped, frequently, then picked up again with a slightly better grasp. Each revision sharpens one part, revealing new issues I didn’t catch last time.
I’m not playing the lottery. Most people drop ticket after ticket down a hole, expecting a fortune to randomly spring back up. Um, that’s not how gravity works; it’s like expecting my box violin to just leap back into my hand — cardboard doesn’t bounce.
Here’s what I’m telling myself:
Expect to mess up a bunch. The value is in picking it back up, like a violin.
Don’t chase virality. It took me 18 years to hit 16 million views — a long-term investment.
Declaring Goals
My biggest challenge has been perfectionism: iterating endlessly and never committing. I’m older, wiser, and still screwing things up — just faster now.
Accepting roughness isn’t enough. I need a system to keep going when motivation fades.
Publishing Cadence — I’m going to publish once every two weeks, no matter what. Even when it’s embarrassing. Even when I re-read it the next day and cringe. If I miss, I’ll pay it back with an extra post.
Quantity Over Quality — I can’t guarantee quality yet, but I can guarantee quantity. It hurt my ears to start violin, but I kept making noise. Just keep writing.
Asking For Feedback — I can ask family, friends, and YouTube viewers for feedback. I’m not above begging, but I’m hoping they don’t make me… they probably will.
Bring it on, Void.
What goals are you declaring? Write them down somewhere — that’s what makes them real.
Taking Action
My trash is filled with failed drafts. Fear didn’t stop me in 2007 — and it won’t stop me now.
Eighteen years ago, 24 people showed up for my first video. If you’re reading this, you’re early — and that matters.
This work documents lived experimentation with human-first practice. It is not professional, medical, financial, or legal advice.