5 Subtle Signs You’ll Be a Top 1% Creator on The Internet
Do you belong in this exclusive category?
Your favorite creator started in your shoes.
They didn’t have Twitter followers.
They didn’t have a 50,000+ email list.
They didn’t have a $1 million product.
All they had was an idea, and they acted on it day after day.
They didn’t quit, and that’s one of the reasons why they belong in the top 1%. If you possess any of the following qualities, you might have what it takes too.
1. You’re a certified thinker
You‘ve developed a growth mindset.
Nobody’s born a thinker.
Albert Einstein, Marcus Aurelius, ‘Ol Elon — every genius wasn’t born with a great mind. Their environment made it so they could develop.
I’m no Greek philosopher, but I live in an environment of absorption — information flows through coworkers, books, blogs, and friends.
I didn’t stumble on this learning environment by chance.
I left my brainless job in Hollywood
I found a tutoring job and worked toward SAT prep
I switched to teaching after three years of tutoring
I taught and freelanced until I landed my current content manager role
I went from stacking chairs on commercial sets to leading a team of creatives because I leaned on jobs that leveraged my brain.
Look at your work history. Do you move chairs, or do you create?
Surround yourself with opportunities to use your brain, and you’ll form a distinct advantage you can use for your creative work on the internet.
2. You know who you are
Top creators know themselves.
While most are conditioned to have the same dreams, goals, and ambitions as their parents, the top 1% went against the grain.
Most don’t question the future and become teachers, bankers, or sales reps.
My parents didn’t want me to move out of LA. They wanted me to stay and pursue teaching, but I know my worth, and if you know yours, you’re one step closer to becoming a 1% creator.
The top 1% do the following:
Recognize their strengths and weaknesses
Remain true to their values
Don’t try to be someone they are not
Don’t compromise their principles for the sake of popularity
The last point is the most crucial. With great influence comes great responsibility.
Use my story as a cautionary tale
My best-performing blog at the time was a sh!tpost on one of my best mates. Top creators know that kindness is their greatest weapon, so they don’t talk down on others to get a leg up.
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” — Aristotle
I took that story down the moment he said something, and I don’t regret missing out on “views” one bit.
3. You have a “purpose map”
You have a clear direction and goal for your content.
You know what you want to achieve with their content, and you have the plan to get there. But a purpose map doesn’t have to be 100% transparent.
It starts with their vision. You pick up the pieces while pursuing a goal.
I envision sipping spritzes on an Italian coast. I want the freedom to spend my time as I please.
Top creators use their purpose map to guide them in creating content that is meaningful and impactful to their own lives first because their ideal audience is just like them.
Everything you create falls under the same umbrella as you. For me, it’s self-development; for you, it may be digital marketing.
You don’t create content just for the sake of it but instead, focus on creating content that aligns with your purpose and values.
4. You’re a giver
You’re willing to give more than 90% of your knowledge away for free because you know how to build credibility.
You’re not Gary Vee, but you post on Medium, Twitter, and LinkedIn, dropping nuggets of wisdom for scrollers to pop into their mouths.
Your skill isn’t in marketing; it’s in kindness — the kind that attracts followers without you even asking. That’s the secret newbie content creators don’t understand.
For every creator who’s crushing it online, there are 99 who want to be like her. The difference is that she packages value in gift baskets and sends new ones out daily.
5. You’re scared sh!tless by an average life
You have a drive and determination to succeed that is unmatched.
You refuse to settle for mediocrity and constantly push yourself to improve. You’re not satisfied with being good; you want to be great.
You’re not afraid to take risks and try new things, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone — and the comfort zone is the last place you want to be because the Matrix is very real.
And it’s unfortunate because I like the Matrix.
It’s comfortable and consistent if you want it to be. The problem is others will choose how you spend your time if you don’t, AKA, you’ll work a 9–5 for 30+ years and retire without much to show for yourself.
Content is the way out. That’s why you want to be a top creator.
Final thought
If you possess these five subtle signs, you have what it takes to be a top 1% internet creator. As a reminder:
You’re a certified thinker
You know who you are
You have a “purpose map”
You’re a giver
You’re scared sh!tless by an average life
It’s not easy showing up every day, but it’s better than having your soul sucked through your mouth for the rest of your life.
The creator economy only grows as the masses get more accustomed to courses and digital products.
Create a clear purpose, and you can achieve your dreams of becoming a top creator. So keep creating, pushing yourself, and never give up on your passion.
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