Why your work isn't been seen, liked, shared and the reason why no one is following you

So you want to start something; you want to get good, learn new skills, find out what equipment is required, and what knowledge is essential to start. So, you start consuming—you start watching tutorials, videos, listening to experts in the field. You start following guides. And after a while, you realise, this isn't working; you're doing all the things by the book, and nothing is sticking. Let me tell you why it's not working, why everything you're doing isn't going to plan like the experts promised.

Strategies for differentiation in a world of imitation

If you're following a guide, if you're copying others, and doing as they say. If you're consuming the same content that everyone else is in hopes of getting a leg up. Then you will only ever be mediocre. If you want to be noticed, you have to be different. Be it your content, where you get your inspiration, the way you deliver, or how you use a platform. You have to be different in a world filled with everyone saying the same things at the same time. So how do you do this?

If everyone is talking about the same things, current events, consider covering history. If everyone is doing talking head videos, do text-based media. If everyone is selling a course, give it away for free. See what the masses are doing and go the opposite direction. If everyone is focusing on quantity and saying you need to post three times a day, maybe consider once a day, once a week, once a month, and put all your time and energy into making that content the highest quality you can.

Attention first, prosperity later

You have to realise that we are in the attention economy. The keyword here is attention. Money comes later in this economy; you have to first establish yourself with an audience. You have to grab attention and hold it, sustain it on a regular basis. Don't sell too early; grow as big as you can first. Because as soon as you put up ads or create a paywall, you lose that vitality, you lose that attention. You lose that audience that made you consuming your content a habit.

From comfort to growth

I keep thinking about this myself, but then I realize I don't care about grabbing attention, which is the wrong attitude. I should test out different methods, ways of getting my thoughts across and ideas into the minds and souls out there. I should A/B test, but right now, I'm just writing; I'm trying to get momentum, doing this consistently. I think after you're comfortable with one thing, you're ready to start getting uncomfortable with the next step forward. Pushing ourselves that little bit more, asking ourselves to go that extra mile, reflecting on what is the next thing here.

Dreams of generosity

I wish I lived in a time beyond borders and beyond the need for money. And we were in a sharing economy, where helping each other without the need for reciprocation. Then you would see that sharing your knowledge, talking about your interests, benefitted others. You would realise that you are valued, and that motivation would keep us going along. That is the fantasy of a sharing economy, but we live in the attention economy, and the attention economy lives on the internet. Ease of access and abundance, free to an extent to find and learn anything you desire. This is the now, the present, and our future.

Thriving beyond trends and fads

Following or trying to find inspiration and guidance that is relevant in our time makes it instantly useless. Because if everyone is doing it, then it might as well be no one at all. We are creatures that learn and adapt so quickly, and any cheap tricks will instantly be learned and ignored over time. Sure, it works for a few, but they are not special; they are the ones turning coal into fire, not diamonds, using stress, persistent work, anxiety, and pain to get a quick buck. Whereas being different, showing your work in a different way, will make you stand out. Finding a way to be unique in this space of pixels and screens that are all linked to the internet is the trick.

Navigating the attention economy

I don't have the answers; if I did, I would be a millionaire selling them and implementing them myself. But what I can tell you is, reflect, think on that idea, make something, just serve it differently to everyone else. Your voice will always be yours, a reflection of your soul and personality. But how you dress says a lot about how you want to be perceived, and how you present yourself is everything to the crowd. It's what gets them to turn their heads and look at you. So I ask you, how are you going to show your work in such a way that turns those heads, that will make you stand out? Because after all, this is the attention economy; go out there and grab their attention.