What I'd Change If I Were Starting Over
A little over six months have passed, and I've compiled a list of things I'd do differently, knowing what I know now. I don't have any major regrets, but a few tweaks would have definitely sped up the process.
First: I'd have started an idea bank from day one
In my article about ideas, I talked about how an idea bank saved me from getting stuck. The problem is, I didn't start one right away, but almost a month in—and that month was noticeably harder than it needed to be.
Second: I wouldn't have been afraid of simple videos
In the first few weeks, I tried to immediately make something "worthy," polishing every detail. I now realize it would have been more useful to first churn out a bunch of simple, albeit imperfect, videos and use them to figure out what works and what doesn't.
Third: I'd have learned about security sooner
I wrote a separate article about seed phrases and being cautious with "support"—and honestly, that's information I should have learned before starting, not after I nearly fell for a scam myself.
Fourth: I'd have told my parents sooner
A month of silence, spent imagining their worst-case reactions, was harder than the actual conversation when it finally happened. If I'd known their reaction would be so much calmer than I expected, I wouldn't have put it off.
Fifth: I wouldn't have compared myself to others so early on
In the story about my friend D., I mentioned that everyone's results are different. In the first few weeks, I hadn't yet grasped this and got upset over what were, in reality, unfair comparisons.
What I Definitely Wouldn't Change
The choice to start with what I already knew: video editing.
The decision not to invest any money at the start.
The habit of writing honestly about everything, even when it's not the prettiest part of the story.
The Main Takeaway
Most of the things on this list aren't about the product or the platform itself, but about my approach to it. This is probably the most useful thing I've learned: results depend more on your approach than on your specific starting point.
A Question for You
If you could give your past self some advice at the beginning of a project, a course of study, or a new hobby—what would it be? What from your own experience would you change if you could start over?