The ~Content~ Content Creator

Sup nerds, you're reading Cyber Patterns.

I got goosebumps while writing today’s piece. I learned a lot about myself and answered questions in my life I didn’t previously know the answers to. I hope you get as much out of reading it as I did writing it. Enjoy.

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What I’m reading: Where Music’s Going

Back in college, I wanted to be in the music business. I even wrote a music blog for a while with some friends.

That’s why I love reading Where Music’s Going by Rob Abelow, founder of Roll Call Records. Rob shares strategies for musicians and creators to thrive in the future. Subscribe here:

I remember back in high school my friend Emily used to walk up to all our friends and ask us “Would you rather be content or satisfied?”

She’d always have this mischievous look in her eye while we thought about our answer. It was a mystifying question I still think about.

Today is Wednesday March 8th.

I woke up at 9 am, wrote until 10:30, got a massage at 11, had Chinese food and made Tiktoks with a friend from 12:30-2:30, and then took my dog on a 2-hour walk through Central Park while negotiating a deal with a startup.

This time last year, I was working as a Staff Reporter writing a new story everyday stressed out of my mind and fueled by triple espressos. Today, I’m making triple the income and can have days like this on a random Wednesday.

I feel quite content. I feel like a ~content~ content creator.

The ~Content~ Content Creator

I find it funny that the adjective “content” means to be happy while the noun “content” is used to describe a piece of media.

I feel most content when making content.

When I’m writing or filming, I feel like the best version of myself. I just feel happy when I’m doing this kinda stuff. I feel like a kid living my dream.

When I’m not creating, I have fun hanging with loved ones or alone reading, but that’s also when the depression and stress kick in. I worry about everything from how fast my Twitter is growing to my grandparents’ health. But when I’m actually writing or filming, I’m not worrying. I’m at peace. I’m content.

I know writing stresses some people out. I believe it comes down to the uncertainty of now knowing what words come next.

The only way to feel content writing is to just keep writing through the discontented feeling. The same goes for making TikToks, podcasts, whatever. After repetition, you’ll learn to find comfort in the discomfort and uncertainty.

I used to hate the uncertainty of not knowing what comes next. Now I live for it. Writing is the best part of my day. When I have a couple hours to just sit down and write like today with no distractions, I feel no fear about what words come next. I know that if I spend enough time working on it, the words will come. And if I spend enough time editing, they’ll sound good too.

I love writing so I spend a lot of time doing it. Not all days are as relaxed as today. Some days, I have so much work for my clients I feel like I’m going to vomit. But even when I’m stressed out of my mind, I’m content because I’m making art with my friends and I’m getting paid to do it.

The only way to be happy as an artist is to make a lot of art. If you’re a creative person, you’re going to miserable not using your creative gifts. Once upon a time back in 2016, I was in the Ross School of Business at University of Michigan. I spent my finance classes designing stickers on Photoshop and doodling ideas in my notebook. I felt like a misfit because I was one. So I left.

You know how Henry David Thoreau lived at the Walden Pond by himself for 2 years writing Walden? Yeah well it turns out that story isn’t true. He lived a 2-mile walk away from town, had tons of visitors and picnics, and would frequently go home to raid the cookie jar. The dude was not isolated.

After I left the University of Michigan, I lived at home to focus on creatorpreneur stuff. I was making $1,500-2,000/month selling stickers and thought I could scale the thing to $10-20,000/month.

My Grateful Dead stickers were making 75% of the income, but within a couple months of living at home, they got taken down for copyright issues. I was never able to build the sticker business up. So I had all day to create artwork with no one to hang out with and no real money coming in. The days were long and lonely. Everyone was off working or in school. I was sitting in my basement on Photoshop. I needed a community and I needed to make some money.

Fast-forward a few years and I go back to school to study English at Rutgers University. I was fortunate to find some other artsy folks to hang out with and joined a creative writing club and wrote album reviews for the school radio. This was great, but I was making no money making art. So I had another problem. This time, I had the artsy friends, but no money. So I turned to Twitter. Thanks to Twitter, I started making money making art with my friends.

And so here we are now.

After years of attempts, I’ve finally hit the sweetspot. I make money making art and have friends to do it with. This is why I am content. I’ve concluded that a creator cannot truly be content unless they are: a) making a lot of art, b) making art with friends, and c) making good money.

Without any of the above fulfilled, it will feel like something is missing. You will constantly be craving the missing component like a puzzle missing a piece.

Would you rather

So Emily, it took me a while, but you finally have your answer.

I 100% feel satisfied with my life and work right now. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. But, do I really feel content? I want a bigger audience, to make more money, to publish books and make movies, and to have more leverage and freedom. Once I hit all three of the checked boxes above, my base-state became happiness. But I’m still hungry. I’ll call it a happy hunger.

What I realized writing this is that I’m not content with my career. But I am content with how things are going and where I’m at right now. I’m happy with where I’m currently at and hopeful for the future.

I grew up in Philly and we’ve got a motto there: trust the process. It was originally started around the 76ers long-term plan at rebuilding the franchise.

People used to say it as a joke, but I say it to myself and my friends whenever we’re experiencing doubt. When you put your faith in the process, then you realize all you need to do is work hard and be patient.

When I was at 500 readers, I knew I just needed to work hard, write some bangers, and trust the process. Now Cyber Patterns is up to almost 5,000 readers and I’ve got my eyes set on 50,000. The process doesn’t change.

All I need to do is keep working hard, writing bangers, and trusting the process. Simple as that. I’m content with where things are at, but you bet I’m still hungry. Let’s get 50,000 nerds up in here in the next few years.

Creators Corner

3 things that helped me be a better creator this week:

🧸 Austin Kleon’s Goldilocks Theory was a 2-minute banger that taught me so much about myself and being a creative.

🎉 I love Luma! It’s a free tool for hosting events (and a great way to collect emails for your newsletter). Lmk if you want to co-host any NYC events!

😂 I’ve been reading and writing a lot of satire for my book Memes Make Millions. My favorite satire newsletters are written by Matthew Speiser, Eli Grober, and Andy Borowitz.

Thanks for reading nerds.

Create some cool shit this week.

Jason Levin

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