Is Your Streaming Success Hindered by Your Goals?

 Is Your Streaming Success Hindered by Your Goals?

As streamers, we often have significant aspirations. Many of us start our channels with the dream of eventually sustaining ourselves through our streams, freeing ourselves from conventional 9 to 5 jobs. We sketch out our journey with markers along the way: specific follower counts, chat interaction averages, subscription revenue, and various other metrics. As we witness these benchmarks rise, our determination intensifies. Frequently, we fixate on a single milestone and invest all our energy into achieving it, such as attaining affiliate status or reaching the first 1,000 followers. These are significant milestones in a streaming journey, symbolizing tangible progress. However, have you ever considered that these very goals, although well-intentioned, might potentially jeopardize the long-term viability of your channel?

Rushing doesn’t foster lasting habits

How Goals Can Backfire: A Closer Look?

Imagine setting ambitious goals for yourself. You're passionate about achieving them, and they drive you to work hard and make progress. You create a roadmap with various milestones, such as hitting a specific follower count or achieving a certain level of engagement. As you see yourself inching closer to these goals, your motivation soars. However, there's a twist in the tale, these very goals, which initially fueled your efforts, might end up sabotaging your long-term success.

Consider the story of a content creator who aspired to become a successful streamer. They put in countless hours researching, building connections, and attending events to grow their audience. When they reached significant milestones like gaining affiliate status or reaching 1,000 followers, they celebrated their achievements. The problem? Their intense focus on these milestones blinded them to the bigger picture. The content creator failed to plan for what came after achieving these milestones. They didn't consider the content they'd produce between these events. This led to a cycle of intense bursts of work followed by extended periods of inactivity. Despite their initial drive, they struggled to maintain consistency in the long run.

This scenario isn't unique. Many creators, not just streamers, fall into the trap of becoming fixated on specific milestones. The initial excitement and motivation push them to work hard, but without a plan for sustained effort, they falter in the interim periods. They fail to find the same level of enthusiasm for the everyday grind as they do for extraordinary achievements.

It's important to recognize that while goals provide direction and motivation, they should be part of a larger strategy that includes systems and routines to maintain consistency. Without these systems in place, creators may find themselves trapped in a cycle of sprinting toward milestones without building the habits necessary for lasting success.

Streaming Isn't a Sprint or a Marathon

You may have heard the comparison between streaming and sprinting or marathon, but let's discredit that notion – it's neither. Why? Because both sprints and marathons have finish lines.

Here's the root of the issue: Some streamers approach their objectives with the intensity of a sprint, while others take a more measured, marathon-like approach. However, both methods share a fundamental flaw. The presence of a definitive endpoint. It's at this endpoint that a demotivating void can consume all your energy and enthusiasm.

Consider a different scenario: Let's say you're an aspiring chef aiming to master the art of cooking. You devote countless hours to honing your skills, experimenting with new recipes, and learning from the best in the culinary world. You set ambitious goals for yourself, such as becoming a sous chef at a prestigious restaurant. When you finally achieve that goal and land the coveted sous chef position, something unexpected happens. You find yourself wrestling with a feeling of aimlessness. The intense drive and motivation that propelled you forward suddenly weakens, leaving you wondering, "What's next?"

This scenario illustrates the psychological toll of relentlessly pursuing a single objective. Just like in streaming, where streamers might push themselves to the brink while striving for partner status or a certain follower count, there can be a price to pay for prolonged stress and an exclusive focus on a singular goal. You might lose your passion for streaming or cooking, and once you reach your target, you could discover that the absence of a clear goal leaves you feeling adrift. Without a well-defined path or sustainable motivation, your channel or culinary aspirations could deteriorate in obscurity, quietly collecting dust.

Final thoughts

So, neither sprints nor marathons provide the solution. Instead, envision your progress as a continuous journey. An ongoing movement without the pressure of reaching a finish line or adhering to a specific pace. This perspective implies perpetual forward momentum, with no breaks in sight.

As I've discussed in previous entries, it's beneficial to break down your goals into manageable increments, making them perpetually attainable. If you're achieving and transitioning to new goals on a weekly or even daily basis, you'll never have the chance to descend into the demotivation abyss. It's essential never to let a goal become such a significant part of your identity that it defines you.

By placing less emphasis on rigid goals, I've managed to avoid the lulls that once caused extended periods of inactivity during my stream days. Days when I would go dark due to a loss of motivation. If you ever encounter similar motivation troubles on your own channel, it's worth considering whether your goals might be undermining your streaming experience.