This week I passed 70k followers on Facebook. I'm not gonna lie. I am a little proud. It's kinda cool. It wasn't an overnight thing for me. I've never had a massively viral post. I've been on Facebook since you had to be a college student to use it, and I have hustled day in and day out, year after year, to build my brand and my following. It's the result of a lot of hard work, and honestly, obsession. Over the course of that journey I have learned a couple things I want to share with you.
Though having a big following can be cool, don't be deceived by the smoke and mirrors. It is not everything, and it's not even the most important thing. I'm not saying I wish I had a smaller following. I'm not saying I don't wish I had a bigger following, or that I don't intend to continue growing mine. I also understand this is probably easier for me to say because of my following. What I really want to say is that quality connection is far more valuable than numbers. Numbers will always be relative. Most of us will always want more. For some, it will never be enough. I, myself, am guilty of giving too much power to the numbers and metrics at time.
At this stage of my journey, I'm reminding to put my art first. Numbers go up and down, but the most important thing is that I continue creating my art. That is what makes me an artist, not the validation on social media. It's cool when people respond to your art, but never lose yourself in the socials. Focus on that connection through authenticity. Your people will find you if you put in the work. It's so easy to compare in the world we live in, but I truly believe it's better to have 10 quality connections than 100k disconnected followers. Be honest. Be true. Be vulnerable. It works.