From: alexhormozi
Building a brand from scratch, particularly without an existing audience, requires a significant long-term commitment and a shift in mindset from focusing on immediate outcomes to consistently executing necessary actions [00:01:39].
The Journey to Brand Growth
Many individuals start ventures like podcasts with the expectation of rapid success within 90 days [00:00:00]. However, the reality is that significant brand growth often takes years [00:01:39]. For instance, one podcast took five and a half to six years to reach the top 10 charts [00:00:32].
Just Start
A common discouragement when starting is the lack of an existing following or audience [00:00:15]. Despite this, the primary advice is simply to “just start” [00:00:15].
Focus on Consistent Action
Instead of measuring success by outcomes, shift your focus to the daily activities you can control [00:01:52]. This means:
- Creating content: Regularly producing valuable material, rather than regurgitating others’ ideas [00:00:20].
- Making “reach outs”: Engaging with your audience and potential customers consistently [00:01:56].
For six years, the speaker committed to releasing one to three podcasts every single week [00:00:42]. A friend who successfully grew an online presence posted every day for six months before his videos started gaining significant traction and revenue [00:02:21].
Evolution of Voice and Content
The initial year of building a brand often involves finding your unique voice and refining your communication style, learning how to teach, entertain, and present information effectively [00:00:53].
Initially, content may be niche. For example, the first 150 episodes of a podcast focused solely on how to run a gym better [00:01:08]. Over time, the subject matter broadened to include general marketing, sales, and broader business topics, evolving as the creator’s knowledge and interests expanded [00:01:12]. Both the subject matter and the skill in delivery improved over this period [00:01:21].
Decades, Not Days
Thinking in terms of decades rather than days when setting goals is crucial for long-term success [00:01:44]. A commitment to a decade-long plan for a YouTube channel, for instance, sets a sustainable pace and avoids the trap of seeking immediate leads [00:05:15]. This long-term perspective allows for continuous progress without being swayed by short-term ups and downs [00:05:34].
The Problem with Outcome-Based Goals
Measuring yourself by external goals, such as a specific sales target or amount of money earned, can lead to inconsistency [00:04:10]. When a desired outcome is achieved, people often slow down or stop their activities, leading to a “scarcity mode” when results decline [00:02:57].
This indicates a lack of consistency, which is a key trait for success [00:03:20]. The ability to keep doing the work, irrespective of immediate results—whether things are going extremely well or not yet—is vital [00:03:35]. This shift in focus from the outcome to the activities themselves allows for sustained effort and stable self-esteem, as you are committed to what you can control [00:04:48].
According to Atomic Habits, both winners and losers often share the same goals; what differentiates them is that winners commit to the activities, while losers commit to the goal itself [00:04:07].
The Power of 400 Pieces of Content
Creating a substantial volume of content, such as 400 long-form pieces, is highly likely to result in a larger following [00:06:34]. The question of “how long will that take?” should be answered with “as long as it takes,” reinforcing that the goal is the consistent action, not the immediate outcome [00:06:40].