Be Yourself On stream

 Be Yourself on stream

Allowing your true personality to shine during your stream can be terrifying, especially if you don’t have much experience in front of the camera. Many new streamers tend to hide behind the familiar or even mimic the style of some established streamers.  I have seen many try to emulate Dr. Disrespect, but they don’t realize the time and energy it takes to keep up that persona. Other new streamers also allow their own self-doubt to take over causing them to second-guess their own channel's value. These fears can lead to uninteresting streams that are either lacking personality or are too similar to other streams to truly stand out.

Now I know it is difficult to put yourself out there. Speaking in front of strangers is terrifying to most people including myself. However, in order to stream it is something we all have to do. Allowing your authentic personality to come out on stream, will grant you the ability to run your channel in line with your values, your goals and will energize you to put your best foot forward for your community.  Let’s look at ways you can let your personality shine.

Be Unique

The more unique your stream is, the more likely you are to succeed. People don’t follow you because you dress up like Dr. Disrespect or because your overlays look like Ninjas.  If that is something they wanted to see they would simply follow them. You want people to follow you for you. You want them to resonate with something that they can only find on your stream and in turn, they will keep coming back. Find the unique thing about you or about how you play games and embrace it. Maybe you enjoy doing the Rubik's cube like me, or you like talking with an accent or discussing game lore. Whatever your personal unique trait is, allow it to show up on stream. 

In the article titled Your Elevator Pitch, we spoke about incorporating your passions into your channel. I believe that many people have a difficult time allowing themselves to be free and show their true selves. Some streamers might say there is nothing unique about them, but that is simply not true, there is something that makes us all stand out.  Another belief that people hold that is incorrect is that they need to find the big thing that makes them unique, however, often times it is all the little things put together that make you who you are. You must reach within yourself and find the things that truly fuel you. It may take time, but don’t stop moving forward and looking, and those unique qualities will present themselves. 

Find joy

In its broadest definition, joy means having feelings of pleasure and happiness. Much like in life you have to discover what brings you joy when streaming. My joy comes from playing video games with others, having fun, and sharing laughs.  I want my stream to be welcoming to everyone, and where new or seasoned players can jump in, feel welcome and have fun. I truly love, chatting with people, building connections, and helping people on their streaming journey. 

A common misconception that people hold onto is that true joy can only be experienced when they have met a goal. It is easy to connect joy to pre-determined milestones, like getting 1000 followers or reaching affiliate or partner status. Often, however, people will reach their goals and find that the joy they expected isn’t there. Finding joy in streaming is not about the destination but rather as cliché as it sounds is about the journey.  Too often people regret not living authentically, so don’t allow yourself to do the same on your streams. Don’t tie your goals to achievements but instead identify your purpose, and your uniqueness and present your authentic self on stream freely and unapologetically. Then and only then will you find true joy. 

Passion Attracts

People are naturally attracted to those who are passionate about the things they love, and this attraction builds fandom. It is easy to say you are passionate about video games when you are a streamer as most of us love video games, however, it is important to dig deeper than that. We are often reluctant to share personal details of ourselves online whether on stream or on social media, but it is those details that allow people to connect with us.  It is also important, to incorporate your other passions into your streams. Do you enjoy trivia, sports, doing puzzles, or drawing? Do you enjoy learning new things such as languages or technology? Incorporating your passions in your streams isn’t necessarily about attracting others who share the same interests as you do but rather it demonstrates that you are a multidimensional interesting person who is more than just a video game player.  It allows people to get to know you and connect with you. 

Final thoughts

Allowing your passions to be on full display in your stream will not only make you happier but will also help you avoid the dreaded burnout. Remember, if you have to put on a mask or pretend to be someone else every time you go live, you will eventually feel trapped and viewers can sense when someone is not being authentic. Not being able to express yourself on stream can be a contributing factor in losing motivation, which can be detrimental to your progression. 

Now with that being said, never look solely for a gimmick. Instead, provide your passions an outlet to reveal themselves. The wonderful thing about allowing what you truly and absolutely love doing to be seen on stream is that you never know what amazing things will come out of it. Don’t be afraid to be yourself on stream. There is nobody else out there who can do it exactly like you.