Am I retiring From Youtube?

Summary

In this reflective video, the YouTuber contemplates retirement, spurred by the departure of peers and a realization of the platform's impact on their life. They discuss the struggles of adapting to YouTube's evolving landscape, the mental health challenges of content creation, and the personal toll of negative comments and trolling. Despite these pressures, they express a renewed commitment to creating content that aligns with their passions and a desire to explore new creative projects beyond the platform.

Takeaways

• 😀 The YouTuber has considered retiring due to the realization that YouTube has been a third of their life, similar to other content creators they admire.
• 🔄 The YouTuber has experienced a shift in their content and audience engagement over the years, feeling that their original style no longer fits the evolving YouTube platform.
• 🤔 They have struggled with content creation, feeling the need to overthink and appease the algorithm, which has led to a loss of passion and energy for their work.
• 🔥 The YouTuber has faced mental health challenges, including clinical depression, ADHD, and chronic anxiety, which have impacted their motivation and ability to create content.
• 💔 They have been affected by negative comments and the pressure of maintaining relevance, which has chipped away at their self-esteem and enjoyment of the job.
• 👨‍👧 The loss of their father led to a period of reflection on life and work, prompting thoughts of quitting YouTube to focus on personal well-being.
• 🚫 The YouTuber has been deeply affected by a disrespectful meme related to their father's death, which nearly pushed them to leave the platform.
• 💊 They have sought help through therapy, medication, and doctor visits to manage their mental health and physical health issues.
• 🎨 The YouTuber is exploring other creative outlets beyond YouTube, such as painting miniatures, reading, and creating comics, to find fulfillment outside of daily content uploads.
• 🔮 They foresee a future where they might retire from their current style of YouTube content creation to focus on larger creative projects, such as producing animated shows or writing a novel.
• 🤝 The YouTuber expresses gratitude for their audience and a desire to reconnect with them in a more meaningful way, while also acknowledging the challenges of maintaining a parasocial relationship.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction of the YouTuber after Matt Pat's retirement announcement?

The YouTuber was shocked and it made them reflect on their own career, realizing that they had been doing YouTube for a third of their life, which led to a tweet expressing their thoughts.

Why did the YouTuber feel overwhelmed in recent years?

The YouTuber felt overwhelmed because the platform and its demands evolved, and their content style no longer fit the 'mold' of YouTube as it had in the past. They struggled to keep up with content creation, audience expectations, and the pressure of the algorithm.

How did the YouTuber's content creation process change over time?

Initially, the YouTuber created content effortlessly, uploading two videos every day at the same time. Over time, they had to overthink their content to fit the changing landscape of YouTube, which included trying to appease the algorithm and creating reaction content.

What impact did taking breaks have on the YouTuber's channel?

Taking breaks led to a realization that the audience's interest might have waned, as they did not seem to miss the YouTuber when they returned from breaks. This suggested that the system might be working against them in terms of audience retention.

How did the YouTuber's mental health affect their perspective on continuing their channel?

The YouTuber's mental health struggles, including clinical depression, ADHD, and chronic anxiety, made it difficult for them to maintain motivation and ambition for their channel. These challenges led them to consider quitting YouTube.

What role did the death of the YouTuber's father play in their decision to potentially quit YouTube?

The death of the YouTuber's father prompted a deep reflection on life and career choices, leading them to question whether continuing with YouTube was beneficial for their mental health and overall well-being.

Why did the YouTuber decide to continue making content despite their struggles?

The YouTuber decided to continue making content by changing their approach, focusing on creating 'all-in-one' videos about specific topics that they enjoyed and that were more sustainable, rather than overthinking each individual video.

How did the YouTuber deal with the negative comments and the meme about their father's death?

The YouTuber tried to ignore the negative comments and meme, understanding that addressing them would only make the situation worse. They also communicated with YouTube to implement stricter spam systems and eventually found relief as the meme faded away.

What are the YouTuber's future plans outside of their current content creation style?

The YouTuber plans to retire from their current style of content creation within two years and move on to other creative projects, such as producing animated shows, games, and writing a fiction novel.

How has therapy and medication helped the YouTuber in managing their mental health?

Therapy and medication have provided tools for the YouTuber to better understand and manage their mental health conditions, helping them to cope with their struggles and to make more informed decisions about their career and life.

What does the YouTuber mean by 'All or Nothing' personality, and how does it affect their approach to YouTube?

The 'All or Nothing' personality refers to the YouTuber's tendency to fully immerse themselves in activities or completely avoid them. This has led to periods of intense engagement with their audience and times of complete withdrawal, which they are working to balance.