"Authenticity problems masquerading as volume problems are exhausting, because the harder you work the worse you feel."
This line really made me pause, because it’s true. I’ve been trying to follow all the rules: post, comment, schedule, engage. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of why I started.
"Does the way I'm showing up feel like me?" That was the question I needed to see tonight. Not "am I doing it right?" but "am I still here?"
Thank you for reminding me that it’s okay to stop performing and just be myself.
Good evening, Ferdousi, and thank you for reading! Being yourself is something we aren’t told enough, it may be the most important ‘rule’ we can follow on Substack :)
The voice piece is the most important part for me. Because voice is what survives algorithm changes. Everything else (formats, cadence, tactics) is negotiable. Voice is the only durable asset in the system.
Thank you, Jeff, that’s exactly it! Yes, we have to create for our audiences, but we have to remember we are also creating for ourselves. If we don’t enjoy the process, our results will be flat. We need to develop a process that allows us to connect with our audience in a way that makes sense (and peace) for us.
That line about picking the schedule you can sustain in a bad week rather than the one that's optimal in a good one is the one I'm writing on a sticky note.
I'm building You Know Jack! while working full-time at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. My paid subscribers are a small but appreciated group, and they're not yet covering my overhead. So I write when I can, not when the algorithm says I should.
The engagement piece hit me hardest. I can't leave a throwaway comment just to check the box. It's not in me. So when I come across something worth responding to, I email the link to myself and come back to it when I have something real to say. Is it efficient? No. Does it feel like me? Yes. (Full disclosure: I read this one before work and it couldn't wait.)
You've put a name to something I'd been doing by instinct but second-guessing because it didn't look like the rules. That changes today. "Expression rather than obligation."
Hi Jack! Appreciate the thoughtful comment, that’s how you build deeper connections. I totally understand about your time constraints, trying to develop a substack while working full-time is a tall order. While you are working out a schedule that makes sense around your full-time job, keep in mind that the Substack algorithm will boost your content more if you spend say 15 minutes a day Monday-Thursday here versus spending an hour on Saturday. In other words, the algorithm will place more weight on you being here for 4 days a week vs 1, even if you are only here for a few mins each day. Maybe you could develop a habit of checking in for 15 mins before work or maybe 15 mins before you log off for the night.
And it sounds like you have a great job. What’s your favorite area of wrestling? Collegiate? Olympic? Professional?
Thank you for the advice of being on Substack more frequently. It makes perfect sense and being a statistics guy I checked your math and 15 minutes four times a week equals 60 minutes once a week. 😉
I like to say that I have avoided having a real job my entire life because I was able to work in sports.
If I had to choose I would probably say college wrestling then international wrestling. I am not a wrestling snob who dismisses professional wrestling entirely, as professional wrestlers are still tremendous athletes who are performing at an extremely high level.
In my role at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame I get to feature the best of amateur wrestling. The Hall of Fame annually presents the Tricia Saunders and Dave Schultz High School Excellence Awards, which has provided me an opportunity to be introduced to up and coming wrestlers who I get to then share their accomplishments through college and beyond. Probably my favorite part of my job is being able to meet and interact with the people who visit our museum, many of whom have dedicated their life to the sport.
I'll be back, probably before work. Yes I answered this while on the clock, so please don't tell my boss.
For me, the question is, "Will being me really work?"
I enjoy my process, but it can be tough when the results just aren't there. Especially when the advice I keep hearing out there is saying I am doing the right thing.
The good news is I know I can stick to it for the long haul.
Thanks for the post, Mack! It brings up some really good points that we all need to hear.
I have read so many posts about succeeding on Substack, or at least what the individual writers perceive success to be. Recently I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to take the advice that feels natural to me and apply it with the realization that my growth in Substack is going to be an ever-evolving process and unique to me.
Yes, I’d love to have hundreds of paid subscribers, but realistically I wouldn’t be able to have the same engagement that I’m enjoying now. I’m not focusing on building my numbers to the exclusion of building a smaller community within the larger Substack community made up of people I’ve developed relationships with.
As far as following the ‘rules’, again, I can only follow the advice that feels natural to me. I have my own ideas that I think would benefit my community and lead to growth, but I’m taking things slow.
As usual, I appreciate you and the Backstage Pass community you’ve built and that I’m proud to be a member of.😊
Love this! This was very helpful. Each of the things you mentioned are struggles I’m having. All while trying to write material for the paid subscription tier I’m creating. The question you posed…does the way I’m showing up feel like me, is a great rule of thumb and a guiding principle to remember.
Thank you, Stephanie! The mistake a lot of creators make is they believe they have to adjust who they are to fit the rules. That the rules are more important.
YOU are more important. The rules should bend to fit you. This doesn’t mean you toss the rules, just understand the rules are suggestions, they work for everyone as a group.
You are a unique and special person. You come before the rules.
All excellent observations and advice … we must love what we’re doing and keep doing that. Our audience can feel the difference between rote and authentic deliverance. Thank you for the reminders and insights, as always.
Thank you, Jennifer. Perhaps the best growth rule is, we have to be true to ourselves. If we don’t like what we are doing, that will come across in our writing.
Agree wholeheartedly Mack … that goes for biz building, relationships and life too. Authenticity oozes in to all and tips the scales on impact, indeed. Ahhh to spread the ‘freeing’ word on this. 😉😌✨ Aligning our action with our considered values is the foundation for it all, I’ve found in my own life and in my work across health, education and various teams … translates beautifully into SS and writing and building what we love. Thanks for the dialogue on such important matters this morning Mack. Appreciate you and your work.
"Authenticity problems masquerading as volume problems are exhausting, because the harder you work the worse you feel."
This line really made me pause, because it’s true. I’ve been trying to follow all the rules: post, comment, schedule, engage. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight of why I started.
"Does the way I'm showing up feel like me?" That was the question I needed to see tonight. Not "am I doing it right?" but "am I still here?"
Thank you for reminding me that it’s okay to stop performing and just be myself.
Good evening, Ferdousi, and thank you for reading! Being yourself is something we aren’t told enough, it may be the most important ‘rule’ we can follow on Substack :)
Best advice on Substack right here, my friend. You are the GOAT!
Thank you, Shannon. Happy Monday!
You too, my friend 🫶🫶🫶
The voice piece is the most important part for me. Because voice is what survives algorithm changes. Everything else (formats, cadence, tactics) is negotiable. Voice is the only durable asset in the system.
What's up, bro!
Excellent point, sister! Your voice will outlast the algorithm 😎
The tactics matter, but if the process doesn't feel authentic, it's hard to sustain long enough for the compounding to happen. Great perspective.
Thank you, Jeff, that’s exactly it! Yes, we have to create for our audiences, but we have to remember we are also creating for ourselves. If we don’t enjoy the process, our results will be flat. We need to develop a process that allows us to connect with our audience in a way that makes sense (and peace) for us.
Yes. That’s the point. Appreciate your thoughts.
That line about picking the schedule you can sustain in a bad week rather than the one that's optimal in a good one is the one I'm writing on a sticky note.
I'm building You Know Jack! while working full-time at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. My paid subscribers are a small but appreciated group, and they're not yet covering my overhead. So I write when I can, not when the algorithm says I should.
The engagement piece hit me hardest. I can't leave a throwaway comment just to check the box. It's not in me. So when I come across something worth responding to, I email the link to myself and come back to it when I have something real to say. Is it efficient? No. Does it feel like me? Yes. (Full disclosure: I read this one before work and it couldn't wait.)
You've put a name to something I'd been doing by instinct but second-guessing because it didn't look like the rules. That changes today. "Expression rather than obligation."
Hi Jack! Appreciate the thoughtful comment, that’s how you build deeper connections. I totally understand about your time constraints, trying to develop a substack while working full-time is a tall order. While you are working out a schedule that makes sense around your full-time job, keep in mind that the Substack algorithm will boost your content more if you spend say 15 minutes a day Monday-Thursday here versus spending an hour on Saturday. In other words, the algorithm will place more weight on you being here for 4 days a week vs 1, even if you are only here for a few mins each day. Maybe you could develop a habit of checking in for 15 mins before work or maybe 15 mins before you log off for the night.
And it sounds like you have a great job. What’s your favorite area of wrestling? Collegiate? Olympic? Professional?
Mack,
First, thank you for the follow on Substack.
Thank you for the advice of being on Substack more frequently. It makes perfect sense and being a statistics guy I checked your math and 15 minutes four times a week equals 60 minutes once a week. 😉
I like to say that I have avoided having a real job my entire life because I was able to work in sports.
If I had to choose I would probably say college wrestling then international wrestling. I am not a wrestling snob who dismisses professional wrestling entirely, as professional wrestlers are still tremendous athletes who are performing at an extremely high level.
In my role at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame I get to feature the best of amateur wrestling. The Hall of Fame annually presents the Tricia Saunders and Dave Schultz High School Excellence Awards, which has provided me an opportunity to be introduced to up and coming wrestlers who I get to then share their accomplishments through college and beyond. Probably my favorite part of my job is being able to meet and interact with the people who visit our museum, many of whom have dedicated their life to the sport.
I'll be back, probably before work. Yes I answered this while on the clock, so please don't tell my boss.
Jack
For me, the question is, "Will being me really work?"
I enjoy my process, but it can be tough when the results just aren't there. Especially when the advice I keep hearing out there is saying I am doing the right thing.
The good news is I know I can stick to it for the long haul.
Thanks for the post, Mack! It brings up some really good points that we all need to hear.
I have read so many posts about succeeding on Substack, or at least what the individual writers perceive success to be. Recently I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to take the advice that feels natural to me and apply it with the realization that my growth in Substack is going to be an ever-evolving process and unique to me.
Yes, I’d love to have hundreds of paid subscribers, but realistically I wouldn’t be able to have the same engagement that I’m enjoying now. I’m not focusing on building my numbers to the exclusion of building a smaller community within the larger Substack community made up of people I’ve developed relationships with.
As far as following the ‘rules’, again, I can only follow the advice that feels natural to me. I have my own ideas that I think would benefit my community and lead to growth, but I’m taking things slow.
As usual, I appreciate you and the Backstage Pass community you’ve built and that I’m proud to be a member of.😊
Pancakes or waffles?
🧇🧇
Love this! This was very helpful. Each of the things you mentioned are struggles I’m having. All while trying to write material for the paid subscription tier I’m creating. The question you posed…does the way I’m showing up feel like me, is a great rule of thumb and a guiding principle to remember.
Thank you, Stephanie! The mistake a lot of creators make is they believe they have to adjust who they are to fit the rules. That the rules are more important.
YOU are more important. The rules should bend to fit you. This doesn’t mean you toss the rules, just understand the rules are suggestions, they work for everyone as a group.
You are a unique and special person. You come before the rules.
All excellent observations and advice … we must love what we’re doing and keep doing that. Our audience can feel the difference between rote and authentic deliverance. Thank you for the reminders and insights, as always.
Thank you, Jennifer. Perhaps the best growth rule is, we have to be true to ourselves. If we don’t like what we are doing, that will come across in our writing.
Agree wholeheartedly Mack … that goes for biz building, relationships and life too. Authenticity oozes in to all and tips the scales on impact, indeed. Ahhh to spread the ‘freeing’ word on this. 😉😌✨ Aligning our action with our considered values is the foundation for it all, I’ve found in my own life and in my work across health, education and various teams … translates beautifully into SS and writing and building what we love. Thanks for the dialogue on such important matters this morning Mack. Appreciate you and your work.