The Follow Game on Social Media
Before I got into photography, I had an Instagram account where I shared photos of myself and never had hunger for followers. But when I got into photography and made photos, I wanted the world to see, so I became like what most instagrammers did; I went after followers and likes and not focusing on my craft. Anytime I shared my work on any social platform, especially Instagram, which is like the holy grail of social media, I wanted more followers and likes. This was all I paid attention to. I was interested in the clout. I was interested in the feeling it gave me; the game of numbers, but I quickly realized one thing. I never reached satisfaction. The following game has made lots of photographers lose the reason they started. The reason they picked up the camera is lost. They chase likes and followers instead of chasing what they ought to make.
Who you follow in real life is essential to who you become, because people we follow feed us with what they have. And if the people we follow are not knowledgeable enough, they’ll feed us junk and we will become just like them.
Follow people you admire because you want to create like them. Follow your role models. Let me tell you something about role models. You do not have to call them role models before they become your role model! They only have to affect you in someway.
Whether good or bad, the people we follow either help us grow creatively or they diminish our creative growth rapidly. Whether we like it or yes, what we see will have a great impact on us.
Unfollow everything that is not healthy to you as an artist. Follow people who inspire you. Don’t follow for a follow back. Is it always going to be about social media growth? How about your creative growth?
Stop following anything on social media that brings you zero value. If something brings you zero value, do not follow. I’m learning this now. Why would anyone follow anything that will bring them zero value? A thing which will not better their lives.
Some years ago, I did a massive unfollowing. I did even unfollow some people I called friends. This is like cutting people out of your life because of the negativity they bring to the table of positivity. Follow people who can make you grow, in real life and on the internet. If they’re not helping you grow, then you’re going to be stagnant or lose value.
You want to grow in creativity and in business. If you can achieve this, your following will grow on social media, because you will be seen as a person of authority.
What you see on your social feed is the feed you feed on. Creativity needs to be fed. If you keep looking at things that will not enhance your creativity, you’re definitely going to lose it. Our creativity allows us to have a piece of originality inside of us, creating from our minds and imaginations.
If the people you follow take away from you and give you nothing in return, it’s time to do something about it. Unfollow them not only on social media, but in real life as well. What we feed on has a great impact on us.
This, I know, goes against supporting fellow artists on social media. But if what they produce is not healthy for your creativity, is it okay for you to continue to feed on their stuff? Maybe you think unfollowing them is just too radical. Mute them, then.
What we feed on becomes our thoughts and our thoughts fill our hearts, and we become like our thoughts.
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Feed on what is right. Follow positivity on social media and in real life. I say this because, as creators, most of us visit social media like crazy. It is addicting, especially Instagram.
Follow people who inspire you. They don’t have to be photographers. They can be musicians who bring the best out of you. Follow people who genuinely want you to be better than you are now. Unfollow everything unhealthy. Feeding on useless materials will harm your creative growth.
Keep creating, keep following inspiration.
And be bold to create whatever you can imagine. Thank you for reading this article. If this brought you value, please don not forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Peace.
