Last year, for the first time in my life, I caught a strange kind of bug. Not COVID. Not the flu. Arguably something far more dangerous: a viral video.
One of my YouTube videos, which I assumed would quietly gather dust alongside all the others, went unexpectedly viral—overnight.
To put this into perspective, most of my videos at the time were averaging about 50 views. Total views.
Then this one video came along and was getting hundreds of views an hour. Before I could fully process what was happening, the video had over 50K views, and my channel had over 500 new subscribers.
I’d be lying my ass off if I said it didn’t feel amazing. It was exactly the ego boost I needed to keep creating—hands down the most exciting, most unexpected thing to happen to me in years.
The steady rush of notifications, comments, and subscribers was so addictive and intoxicating. I finally understood why so many creators get hooked on chasing that viral high.
Honestly, it felt like my first trip to Las Vegas. The lights, the noise, the constant possibility of winning big—it’s addictive and exciting.
Posting a video on YouTube (or anywhere online) is a gamble, like pulling the lever on a slot machine.
No matter how much effort we put in—or talent we have—none of us really knows what the algorithm will do. Will we hit the jackpot or lose everything?
Somewhere along the way, I started thinking, If I just play a little smarter, I can win again. And for me, that’s where the danger lies.
Analytics can turn into casino chips—easy to obsess over, hard to walk away from. Before long, I wasn’t creating for myself. I was playing the house’s game. And the house always wins.
Yes, a few creators manage to hit it big. But most don’t.
The algo giveth, and the algo taketh away.
Luckily, I realized sooner than later I was being played and was able to remind myself: I’m not here for the adrenaline rush of a quick payout. I’d rather do the work, shoot my shot, and let the cards fall where they may.
If something goes viral—great. If not—also great. Because the real win is making work that feels true to me and connects with the people who actually matter: my real fans and friends.
THE PITFALLS OF VIRALITY
Here’s the part people don’t talk about enough: virality comes with baggage.
For every new subscriber, there’s often a troll waiting to throw shade. Negative comments, bots spamming nonsense, and the occasional stalker who seems equally interested in marrying you or killing you. Like hecklers at a comedy show, some folks—especially on YouTube—are loud, annoying, and sometimes even dangerous.
Then there’s the weird jealousy and unnecessary competition from other creators. Instead of celebrating each other, some people act like success is a pie with only so many slices to go around.
But here’s the truth: whether it’s YouTube, Substack, or any other platform, there’s plenty of room for everyone. The internet isn’t a pie—it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. And good, tasty content almost always finds its audience.
So I don’t stress too much about who’s “winning” or “losing.”
Sure, skill and effort matter, but at least half of success is luck.
SLOW + STEADY WINS THE “RACE”
Don’t get me wrong: I still love when new people discover my channel. But I’d rather build an audience slowly with quality work than gamble my creative energy on chasing jackpots. Virality might give you a flash of glory, but quality gives you staying power.
So while others sprint toward exponential growth, I’m choosing the turtle’s path over the hare’s: slow, steady, and sustainable growth—here on Substack and beyond.
In the end, it’s not about catching a virus—it’s about building immunity to the algo. Creating at a pace that feels good. Producing work that matters. And trusting that, over time, the right people will find it. People like you.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: numbers may sparkle like neon on the Vegas Strip, but the real jackpot is when the work connects with real people.
Views fade. Algorithms shift. But when something you create resonates with someone out there—that’s the kind of win that lasts.
Keep calm, create on, and connect!
Clint 🌈✌️
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FOR YOUR (SUBSTACK) CONSIDERATION
ON THIS DAY = SEPTEMBER 4
BIRTHDAYS
1848 = Jennie Lee = American actor
1900 = George Hoyningen Huene = American photographer 🌈
1905 = Mary Renault = English novelist 🌈
1908 = Richard Wright = American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet
1912 = Alexander Liberman = Russian-American publisher, painter, photographer, and sculptor
1912 = Syd Hoff = American author and illustrator
1919 = Howard Morris = American actor, director, and screenwriter
1928 = Dick York = American actor
1930 = Robert Arneson = American sculptor and academic
1931 = Mitzi Gaynor = American actor, singer, and dancer
1942 = Merald "Bubba" Knight = American singer
1958 = Drew Pinsky = American radio and television host
1960 = Damon Wayans = American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
1969 = Richard Speight Jr. = American actor and director
1970 = Ione Skye = English-American actor
1973 = Jason David Frank = American actor and mixed martial artist
1975 = Mark Ronson = English DJ, producer, and songwriter
1978 = Wes Bentley = American actor and producer
1979 = Max Greenfield = American actor
1981 = Beyoncé = American singer-songwriter, producer, dancer, and actor
1982 = Whitney Cummings = American comedian, actor, producer, and screenwriter
EVENTS
1781 = Los Angeles is founded as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora La Reina de los Ángeles (The Village of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels) by 44 Spanish settlers.
1882 = The Pearl Street Station in NYC becomes the first power plant to supply electricity to paying customers.
1888 = George Eastman registers the trademark Kodak and receives a patent for his camera that uses roll film.
1957 = The Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (aka the Wolfenden Report) is published in the UK. It recommends “homosexual behavior between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offense.”
1972 = Mark Spitz becomes the first competitor to win seven medals at a single Olympic Games.
1972 = The Price Is Right premieres on CBS. It currently is the longest running game show on American television.
1995 = Xena: Warrior Princess premieres in first-run syndication.
1998 = Google is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two PhD students at Stanford University.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You want to have the experience. As far as the creative side, the more I do this, the more I know that it's all about the writing. You get on a film sometimes, and it's sort of half-written, and they expect and think that the actor's job is to bring the extra part and the good part. It's not. We're good at saying what other people have written, but for the majority of it, that's about it, comedians aside. It's all in the writing. Whether that's dialogue or character, or whatever, it doesn't matter. As long as they've done something special, then you can do something special.”
Wes Bentley
You’re amazing! So grateful for you!
Thank you so much for sharing, my friend!