The Real Reason I Stopped Posting Tech Videos (And Why I’m Back!)

Summary

In this video, Pedro shares his personal journey with YouTube, reflecting on his initial motivation to create educational content and the burnout he experienced from the pressure of YouTube's algorithm. After a long break, he discusses how he’s refocused on learning and sharing a variety of programming topics, including Swift, Kotlin, and AI, with a new emphasis on creating value rather than chasing views. Pedro expresses excitement about returning to YouTube with a fresh mindset and invites viewers to join him in exploring new technologies and ideas, signaling a more authentic and passionate approach to content creation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The creator, Pedro, took a long break from YouTube, marking the longest hiatus since he started posting in 2020.
• 😀 Pedro reflects on the significance of his YouTube channel in his life, especially as it was originally a way to teach himself web development while building a resume.
• 😀 Despite not expecting to grow a large following, Pedro’s channel eventually attracted many subscribers who appreciated his teaching style.
• 😀 Pedro shares that he struggled with feelings of burnout after repeating the same types of beginner tutorials and failing to find fresh content ideas.
• 😀 He describes burnout not as physical exhaustion but as a mental strain from the demands of YouTube's algorithm and content expectations.
• 😀 YouTube’s algorithm, which prioritizes videos that appeal to a broad audience, led to the creator feeling restricted in his ability to post content that he was passionate about.
• 😀 After the burnout, Pedro shifted his focus back to personal growth and experimentation with new technologies, like Swift and Kotlin, which reignited his excitement for programming.
• 😀 Pedro explains that his work at Twitch gave him the chance to use Swift and Kotlin for new projects, which reignited his passion for learning and programming.
• 😀 He plans to return to YouTube with a shift in mindset: focusing on creating content that excites him and sharing what he learns rather than solely chasing views.
• 😀 Moving forward, Pedro will create content in a variety of areas, including Swift, React Native, Kotlin, and AI, while putting more effort into video production quality.
• 😀 He mentions the creation of a browser extension to hide YouTube metrics like views and performance indicators to reduce stress and focus purely on content creation.
• 😀 Pedro thanks his audience for their support and plans to bring more value-focused tutorials, aiming to teach what he learns rather than what will perform well on YouTube.

Q & A

Why did Pedro take a break from YouTube?

Pedro took a break from YouTube due to burnout. He felt mentally exhausted from producing the same content over and over, particularly with beginner tutorials, and became frustrated with how the YouTube algorithm was impacting his channel's growth.

How did Pedro’s YouTube journey start?

Pedro started his YouTube channel in 2020 as a way to teach himself web development while also building a resume to show potential employers. He never imagined that the channel would grow to the point where he could monetize it.

What surprised Pedro about his teaching style?

Pedro was surprised to learn that viewers appreciated his teaching style, especially since he considered himself a beginner teaching other beginners. His struggle to understand programming made his explanations resonate with others.

What is Pedro's stance on traditional professors?

Pedro doesn't enjoy learning from professors who are experts in a field because they may not have gone through the same struggles as beginners. He believes that people who have struggled with a topic can teach it better to those who are also struggling.

What caused Pedro's burnout on YouTube?

Pedro’s burnout was largely due to the repetitive nature of creating beginner tutorials and the limitations of the YouTube algorithm, which prioritizes videos that appeal to the broadest audience rather than focusing on valuable, niche content.

How did Pedro realize he was burned out?

Pedro initially didn't understand burnout but eventually recognized it wasn't just about not feeling like posting. It was a mental burnout caused by the pressure to constantly create content that would perform well according to YouTube's algorithm.

How did Pedro cope with his burnout?

Pedro took a break from YouTube and shifted his focus to experimenting with new technologies like Swift and Kotlin, working on projects at Twitch, and gaining new skills, which helped reignite his passion for programming.

What are Pedro's plans for future YouTube content?

Pedro plans to return to YouTube with a fresh approach. He will post a variety of content, including tutorials on Swift, React Native, Kotlin, Python, and AI projects, without focusing on metrics like views or video performance.

What changes has Pedro made to his content creation process?

Pedro has built an extension to hide performance metrics from his YouTube dashboard, so he no longer feels pressured by statistics. He intends to focus more on creating value and sharing what he's learning rather than chasing views.

How does Pedro feel about returning to YouTube?

Pedro is excited to return to YouTube for the first time since 2020. He feels recharged and eager to share what he's learned, with a focus on learning and growing together with his audience.