If you’ve been wondering what it’s *really* like to be a full-time content creator, keep reading.

While being a full-time content creator is a DREAM job, I feel like it’s important to prepare you for the potential negative sides that come with the territory. So, here are some honest truths that no one tells you about being a content creator.

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I, like many people, had this dream of becoming a full-time content creator. I dreamt of having my own YouTube channel, making enough money to support my lifestyle, and working with dream brands. And now that I am a full-time content creator (and have been for over 4 years), I feel like there are some truths that need to be told… 

Specifically, 5 brutally honest truths that nobody tells you about being a full-time content creator. 

As always, if you’d like to watch instead of read, simply click the video below! Ready? Let’s dive right in.

5 Brutally Honest Truths About Being a Content Creator

Disclaimer: First things first, this is not me complaining. No way, no how. 

I understand that the job that I have is a privilege. I am beyond blessed to be in the position I am. As with every job (on the planet) there are ups and downs. Being a content creator is so hyped online, that as you’re aspiring to be a content creator – you’re just looking at the positive side, and you forget to think about what else comes with this job. 

This post is simply my truth. It’s my personal experience that I want to share with you, to hopefully help you along your own journey. At the end of the day, I hope these brutally honest truths about being a content creator help you prepare for the journey ahead!

Brutally Honest Truth #1: You will not always feel like it

While this is a dream job for myself and so many others, when you turn content creation into your full time job – there will be days when you don’t want to do it. 

There will be days when you don’t want to film, come up with content ideas, edit or work on captions. But… if this is your job then you still have to show up. 

It’s like going to the gym. If you have a fitness goal and you’re trying to get fit, you might be on fire for the first two weeks. During that time you’re pushing yourself, you’re showing up consistently and you’re doing it. But then reality sets in and you have to continue to fit this into your daily routine. The initial rush has worn off – but you still need to workout if you want to hit that goal. 

You won’t feel like going to the gym every day, but if you want to see results, you have to keep showing up. 

Content creation is the same. There are days when I don’t want to work. When I don’t feel like doing my makeup to record, when I don’t want to reply to emails. But, since I turned this into my liveable income, if I don’t show up, I don’t make money. 

It’s just like any other job. 

There will be times when the motivation isn’t there – but you just have to go through the motions.

Brutally Honest Truth #2: You can’t make content for everyone

You can’t please everyone. 

No matter how hard you try to create “perfect content” that no one could argue with, disagree with or find something negative in (believe me, I’ve tried), there will always be someone who has something negative to say. There will always be a keyboard warrior there to skew or twist your words. 

Even now, I can repeatedly say that I am not complaining about my job – and someone will still comment and accuse me of complaining about having a ‘super easy job that no one should complain about.’ I can honestly say that I try really hard to speak with intention and I choose to never share too much about my personal life online and there is still always someone. 

This video is a good example of this. I made this video to talk about Instagram hashtags and I wanted to make coffee simply to keep the viewers engaged. Throughout the video I just kept adding things to the cup to create this cup of coffee – and someone’s takeaway from this video was to complain about the milk I was using. 

In tandem with this, you will also likely experience hate on the internet. People will say mean things. 

I don’t know how people aren’t affected by negative comments. I personally cannot handle them. Negative comments still phase me, they still affect me. People say hurtful things on the internet and I know I can’t change that and that I shouldn’t take their comments seriously… but it hurts. 

You can’t make content for everyone and you will get hate eventually. 

Brutally Honest Truth #3: Preventing burnout takes intentional effort

Burn out is a real thing and preventing it takes intentional effort every single day. 

If you love what you do, it can be easy to get lost in the hustle phase, especially in the beginning when you’re a new creator. It’s so easy to get caught up in doing all the things. You have fun making, editing and sharing what you’ve created. 

And even though it’s doing something you love, it’s still using up energy and it can still lead to burnout. 

Yes, you can still get burnt out doing things that you love. 

I learned this lesson the hard way in 2021. Burnout hit me suddenly. I was in a busy phase, I just launched a course and one day when I sat down to record a YouTube video I completely blacked out. The last thing I remember is being in my living room, telling my husband I was going to faint. All of a sudden, I was having a panic attack. 

I spent the next three months in and out of the hospital where I learned that I was experiencing stress. My doctor literally diagnosed me with burnout. 

So brutally honest truth number three is that burnout is real. And it takes intentional effort every day to prevent it. I have to remind myself of what balance looks like for me EVERY DAY. 

I have to remind myself to stop working, even when I love what I am working on. You are going to have to practice setting intentional boundaries with yourself that you keep every day. 

My Intentional Boundaries: 

• Don’t check your phone until a designated time in the day
• Avoid work-related tasks until a certain time
• After the work day, fully disconnect from work-related activities

When you’re intentional about preventing burnout, it helps make your career as a content creator healthier and more enjoyable. My relationship with my job feels way healthier and more sustainable since I set these boundaries – and these things help me love my job more. 

It might feel hard to prevent burnout – but it’s definitely worth it.

Brutally Honest Truth #4: There is no “end”. This job is an inevitable goal.

There is no “end” to being a content creator. This job is an inevitable goal.

That’s probably why it’s called the “hamster wheel effect.” You set a goal to get 1,000 followers, but once you hit that goal – you’re already thinking about the next goal. Once you hit 10,000 followers, you’ve already moved on to the next goal. The goal never ends. 

Hitting your goals becomes addicting, and you start to think, well if I can make $500 a month, what’s to stop me from making $1,000 a month?

And as you grow, sustaining your brand doesn’t get any easier. In fact, it can be harder since there’s more pressure to be consistent, you’re likely working with bigger brands, and you have a larger audience that expects to see you more often. 

That’s why this is a brutally honest truth about being a content creator. It doesn’t get easier, it’s an inevitable goal and there’s no “end.”

Brutally Honest Truth #5: This job is not for everyone

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed a coffee with aspiring creators who want to pick my brain… They take my advice, get started and after a few weeks (or months), they realize it’s not for them… and THAT’S OK! This job isn’t for everyone. 

One of my best friends is a great example of this. We quit our jobs to become solopreneurs together on the same day. We decided to start this journey together – and if we fast forward to today, she’s back at her 9-5 and LOVING IT. 

Her goal was to turn her passion for art into her career – but in doing so she fell out of love with the art and realized she hated trying to make that her job. I see this happen to many aspiring creators for a variety of reasons.

Reasons someone might quit: 

• They realize it’s not for them
• They realize it’s more work than they thought it was going to be
• They’ve posted for 30 days, didn’t go viral and they stop
• They get started, want to grow and then realize they hate it (like my friend!)

If you want to be a full-time content creator, you have to genuinely love it. It’s one of the only reasons that I keep going. I am obsessed with YouTube, I could geek out about YouTube all day, I love making videos and I have since I was 15 years old. 

This job requires an extreme amount of self-discipline and self-motivation. There is no one telling you what to do, no one helping you make money, no one who can fill in for you when you are sick. 

There is no one to replace you – you have to do it every day. 

So, you have to love it – and that also means that it’s not for everyone. 

Bonus Brutally Honest Truth: If you don’t give up, if you don’t quit, you’ll make it. 

If you’re reading these brutally honest truths about being a content creator, and you’re thinking, “I’m not scared off by this Millie! I still want to be a content creator.” Well, I believe that’s 100% possible for you. I’m a strong believer that your desires, the things that keep you up at night are the things that are meant to be a part of your life. 

And so if you dream of being a content creator, if you love breathing and sharing and this entire journey in general, then I know it’s possible for you.

If you don’t give up, if you don’t quit – then you’ll make it. 

Stay curious. Keep learning and pushing yourself. Find new ways to spark creativity for yourself. Continuing bettering yourself, your content and your brand. And I believe that as long as you don’t give up, it will happen for you. 

Thank you so much for being here, follow your joy! 

Ready to make content creation your full-time job? Read this post next.