Recently, I'm stressing about our pending MOA as part of our practicum. I'm also getting quite overwhelmed about my slow progress on TikTok as an affiliate and YouTube as a faceless content creator. With these problems, I feel frustrated with the outcomes of my decisions. As I mentioned here, I might not graduate on time and lose all the sacrifices that I built within three years because of our MOA. I also wanted to give up or add other backups to move on.

I can't share his response directly to my problems since I want privacy. However, here are some snippets of his response based on our conversation:

You're Exhausted Mentally

Well, I guess he's right. I feel demotivated right now and question if it's still worth it to pursue. I almost wanted to lose hope in my academic life since they didn't process it properly. On the other hand, I also wanted to start another career since I feel like I'm losing will to continue. Although ChatGPT is not a psychologist, he diagnosed me with exhaustion. One of its symptoms is decision fatigue and performance anxiety.

Meanwhile, he also mentioned that some of my problems are things I cannot control. Specifically, I can't control how the Main Branch lost that document and how the signature process takes a hundred years to complete. I also couldn't control what they want to buy or watch. He suggested that I should focus on what I can control and just detach myself emotionally.

You’re Tying Self-Worth to Monetization

I have this common mindset where I try to value myself based on what I earn. For example, if I earn well, it gives me self-worth. Well, I can't deny it. While it's true that it should drive me to perform better, it's normal to feel like your progress is slow. He stated that I'm currently in an uncomfortable stage, and that's when real compounding happens. I just need to be consistent in improving daily.

Now that I've discussed the takeaways, I just want to share some of his notable advice:

Reframe Your Goals

He specified this advice for my TikTok account, but I think it also applies to my YouTube faceless account. I once mentioned that a hero product could change my life, but he debunked it. It may spike my income and motivation. However, if you want to build long-term income, you need to repeat the process, build trust, and increase your conversion.

As a follow-up question, I told him that it's inevitable that you will get rich if you have that viral product. Yet, he clarified that the system behind the hero product is the asset. If you build the system, you don’t depend on one product. Now, I get him. Once you strengthen your system, you won't rely on one product. You just need to be recognized so you can't just focus on that specific product. I also need to test various items by cycling my earnings there and repeat the system.

Motivate Yourself on Metrics

Instead of chasing views or sales, I should focus first on my metrics. That's why I often check my analytics. However, he mentioned that I should only check it at least once a day to avoid feeling demotivated.

Skill Compounding

I also stated that I wanted to keep myself busy by learning another skill. His highly recommended book is Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, but I can't find a cheap version. If I find a cheaper version, either the copy is pixelated or lacks some chapters. That's why I'll try to annotate 7 Habits of Highly Effective People before reading it. I have time to do it when I'm not blogging.

Stop New Income Streams

Recently, I’ve been telling myself that I should start looking for a job right now. However, he suggested that I should not pursue it yet for the meantime. Once the system mobilizes, that's the only time I can find another side income. He said that I'm currently in a stress cycle and I should not make big decisions when I'm emotionally stressed. Therefore, I will stop looking for another one, and I told him that I still have enough income to sustain myself. However, if there's an opportunity, I will definitely grab it.

You're Only 21, So Stop Pressuring

He also said that I should not pressure myself since I still have a few months to find a job. When I told my mother that I will just wait for graduation, she told me that I should restart looking for a job. However, I want to focus on this first since I don't want to end up as a rank-and-file employee for the rest of my life. I don't want to be stuck in the rat race like my father, who works endlessly to chase money. If he doesn't work, he won't earn money and feed us.

If you think about it deeply, it seems like I'm building a business and not a job. Being an affiliate is like a business since you don't have a boss and you're selling your service to business owners. On YouTube with a faceless account, you're not selling a physical product. You are selling satisfaction and entertainment to your audience. Of course, it requires you to invest your time, and that is the thing I currently have the luxury of. That's why I need to spend it wisely to improve and build better decisions without being emotionally attached.