Fear of burning out

Over the past decade, more and more content creators have begun to speak openly about the dangers and dilemmas associated with making content on the internet for a living. Burnout is a common topic discussed several ways -- not just about how to avoid or recover from it, but also the chilling fact that some creators have no choice but to risk it.

I, admittedly, am one of those creators. I can't afford not to create content almost daily. And as someone who has burned out, recovered, and burned out again almost instantly a dozen times, I have become more afraid of what happens if I keep constantly creating than I am of what happens if I stop.

My biggest content creation roadblock has always been managing a constant flood of ideas with little to no way to properly prioritize and manage them. I have a lot of ideas, and I'm good at strategizing -- I know what to do and how to do it. But something about knowing the time and effort investment, despite what it might yield, is almost too daunting.

I love making things. But I am terrified of taking that love too fer. At the same time, what choice do so many of us have? Content creators and influencers don't make a lot of money per hours worked. Many of us get "paid" in free stuff offered in exchange for reviews or similar types of content. It doesn't play the bills. Not unless you create more, more, more.

It's not healthy. It drives a lot of good creators away from the business. It's not sustainable or glamorous. But here we are. Afraid to push ourselves too far, all the while knowing that if we don't, we may never have the financial secruity so many of us crave.