Stream Success: Stick to Your Streaming Plans

 Stream Success: Stick to Your Streaming Plans

Are you having difficulty adhering to your plans during your streams? Perhaps you committed to a weekly schedule, but you struggle to maintain consistency week after week. Maybe there were aspirations to create compilation videos from your streams, but uploads halted after a while. It could be as straightforward as intending to start streaming but quickly realizing the inability to follow through. If this situation sounds familiar, rest assured, it's a common experience. However, the underlying issue often goes beyond motivation or time commitments; the act of announcing plans itself can be a contributing factor.

The concept we explored in the article "Mindset: don’t Tell Just Do," revolves around the idea that disclosing goals triggers the release of the same brain chemical as actually achieving the goal. For those dealing with demanding lives and time constraints, the temptation to abandon a goal after the initial satisfaction of announcing it is understandable. This paradoxical dynamic poses a significant obstacle to achieving aspirations. Once an idea is shared, it becomes susceptible to being discarded. If you do not have a consistent execution track record before announcing your plan, its likelihood of success diminishes. In this article, we will provide guidance on how to refrain from disclosing your projects prematurely, enhancing your ability to adhere to streaming objectives effectively.

Set realistic expectations and exceed them

Prematurely disclosing plans can result in various negative impacts on your channel. The most detrimental situation arises when individuals announce their plans before taking any action. This not only creates a premature sense of accomplishment but also signifies a lack of understanding regarding the real-world logistics needed to execute the plan. Consider instances where someone declares their intention to start working out, launch a new business, or write a novel without actually beginning the work. Reflect on how often these plans turn into tangible results: the outcomes are typically disappointing.

The tradition of making New Year's resolutions exemplifies this tendency to announce before taking action. In such cases, many individuals struggle to maintain their resolutions, and the majority give up within the initial month. Effectively, announcing a plan before initiating action often seals its fate.

A more prudent approach might involve announcing something after taking a few initial steps. While this provides a basic understanding of the plan's execution, it still frequently leads to failure. Publicly identifying as something you have not yet proven yourself to be can be problematic. For example, simply starting streaming does not make you a streamer; it means you have initiated the process. However, publicly assuming the identity of a streamer before proving dedication may result in complacency. The thought process becomes, 'Everyone already knows I'm a streamer; there's no need to work so hard anymore: I've already "made it."'

This example illustrates the intricacies of the mind. Once you start identifying with a specific goal or career, the brain may prioritize external perceptions over actual achievement. Established streamers also grapple with this principle when introducing new ideas and immediately discussing turning them into regular features. Unfortunately, these endeavors often lose momentum within a month. The danger of oversharing is often underestimated, even among experienced individuals.

Allow your Ideas to Settle

So, how should you approach sharing significant plans? The most effective method can vary based on your personality and objectives, but a cautious approach is to wait until you've actively executed the plan for an extended period, allowing the initial excitement to subside before making the announcement.

Be cautious of succumbing to the 'honeymoon phase' trap. The inclination to announce plans immediately is often fueled by the initial excitement. Similar to the 'honeymoon phase' in a relationship, the allure of positive qualities and boundless possibilities in new content ideas can blind us to their flaws and logistical challenges. Determining the sustainability of a new streaming idea is challenging until it progresses beyond the honeymoon phase. In streaming scenarios, it's preferable to wait until you've consistently implemented an idea daily for months before officially incorporating it into the schedule.

For example, consider a situation where you introduce a new content theme such as a just chatting segment. Even when producing these shows publicly, avoid committing to viewers that they will become a regularly scheduled feature. Instead, treat them as a routine part of your content. Furthermore, refrain from specifying when these shows will go live, quietly integrating them alongside your other scheduled content. Only after maintaining them for an extended period without fail should you consider elevating them from unscheduled 'secret streams' to a permanent fixture on your channel.

Final Thoughts

If you've already shared your idea publicly and harbor concerns about its feasibility, don't be overly concerned. The most efficient solution is to refrain from further public discussion, and you might even consider giving the impression that you've shifted away from pursuing it. Simultaneously, work diligently behind the scenes to bring the idea to fruition until you're confident in consistently delivering results. Convert your goals into personal quests, motivated by intrinsic factors rather than the desire to impress others. To effectively stick to your streaming plans, ensure that your assumptions and aspirations align with the practical realities of actual creation. Emphasize consistent execution before making any public announcements.