I went viral last weekend…
Last weekend, I had a post go viral on social media.
Originally, I said “viral by my standards,” but it surpassed that.
As I write this email on Tuesday morning, it sits at 1.7 million views and it has not really slowed down.
And, honestly, I’m not sure how to feel about it.
So, I’m going to do what I always do, I’m going to turn this into a fitness lesson. Six lessons to be exact (and the last one might be most important):
1. Consistency
I had done 840 posts on Instagram prior to that post. I have posted, on average, at least 5 times per week for the past 3.5 years.
Most of them got views like this:
Most people overestimate what they can get done in 12 weeks, but underestimate what they can get done in 12 months.
2. One good day isn’t enough
Imagine if I just tried to ride the coattails of this one post forever.
If my goal was to grow my social media, this was successful. But it’s not like I have millions of followers now and don’t need to post again today.
One viral post does not grow social media just like one workout doesn’t get you fit.
We’re a product of what we do most often, so we need to keep showing up.
3. Perfection isn’t necessary
I recorded this video in one take in the parking lot of a bank 5 weeks ago and didn’t post it until Friday.
Stop trying to be perfect. Waiting to be perfect is going to keep you stuck.
Take imperfect action.
4. Somebody is always going to try to dim your accomplishments
I got dozens of comments like this on the post (and had fun trolling them back).
If you get in shape, people might say that it was your genetics.
Or accuse you of using medication (even if you didn’t) or, if you did, say that you cheated.
Or they might say “I would do that too if I had a home gym or my partner was supportive or if I didn’t have kids or if I didn’t have to work or [fill in the blank].”
That’s more about where they are and their dissatisfaction of their own life that they’re trying to tear you down to make themselves feel better about where they are.
You’re never going to satisfy those people.
It’s about them, not about you. Feel bad for them and move on.
5. Stay true to who you are
I’ve produced literally thousands of hours of content between social media, my podcast, and writing (like this email or blog posts).
And this 30 second rant is going to be seen by more people than all of those other posts combined.
It’s good to know that the thing about me that resonated with a lot of people is actually something I really believe in.
Making changes to your fitness and nutrition should align with the person you want to be.
6. You may not actually want what you think you want
A lot of people want to go viral on social media.
As someone who runs a business online, getting more eyeballs on me and my page is a valuable thing.
But it also makes it challenging for me to do social media the way that I normally do.
I like to reply to every single comment on my posts, personally thank anyone who shares it, and send a message to each new follower when they choose to follow.
At this volume, it’s a little tricky to do that.
We see people on social media who are ripped to shreds and we think that’s what we want.
But we don’t realize that those people don’t get to live their lives totally the way that they want to because, in order to have abs that cut glass, you have to be willing to give up some things that maybe you’re not willing to give up
Your goals can be your goals. Just know that there’s probably a downside that you’re not seeing.
I hope this was useful.
I’m still here.
And, remember, whether things go well or go poorly, what do we do?
We just keep swimming.
To your health,
Jeff
P.s. Ironically, on Friday before posting, I recorded a podcast all about failure and the journey to success being full of stumbling blocks. If you’d like to check it out, I think it’s worth a listen. 👉Fit Parent Podcast Episode 91: The One About Failure
