It all began with enthusiasm. I loved travel, and starting a blog seemed like the perfect way to combine my passion for writing and adventure. The first thing I did was search YouTube for “how to start a travel blog.” Almost instantly, I was greeted with a plethora of creators offering tutorials on everything from choosing a domain name to building a WordPress site. It seemed like a goldmine of free education.
The YouTube Trap – What they don’t tell you is that you should stop watching and START DOING! Jump right in and make mistakes – its part of the journey.
I created a playlist titled “Blogging Tips,” and I devoured content about setting up hosting, designing a theme, creating the perfect “About Me” page, and writing compelling blog posts. The more I watched, the more ideas I had. My excitement grew as I envisioned a beautiful travel blog, full of useful guides and captivating stories that would inspire others to explore the world.
The YouTube Spiral: When Watching Becomes More Tempting Than Doing – My Journey From Learning About Blogging to Actually Doing It seemed like the ideal way to gather information, absorb inspiration, and map out my success story. Countless YouTubers claimed to know the secrets to making a living from travel blogging, promising financial freedom and adventure. I spent weeks diving deep into the rabbit hole, consuming video after video on how to build a blog, write SEO-friendly content, monetize a site, and connect with an audience.
But something unexpected happened during this process. After weeks of learning, I found myself feeling more overwhelmed than inspired. I was still watching video tutorials while the idea of actually starting my blog seemed further away than ever. The tension between watching versus doing grew, and it made me realize that learning about blogging was vastly different from actually creating and maintaining one. Here’s my story of frustration, lessons learned, and what finally helped me break free from the YouTube spiral to become a real, active travel blogger.
Suddenly, every decision felt daunting—Which platform should I use? How do I create content that ranks on Google? Should I focus on affiliate marketing or sponsored posts? The more questions I had, the more YouTube videos I watched. What was once an exciting learning journey became a spiral of procrastination. I started to feel stuck in the “learning” phase, unsure of how to take the next step toward actually launching my blog. the more I watched, the more confused I became; the sheer volume of information overwhelmed me
Here are three takeaways:
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- IT’S NOT Going to be perfect: Remember, it’s okay if your blog isn’t perfect right away! Every successful blogger started with their first imperfect post. Embrace the journey of learning and growing. Your authenticity will resonate with readers, and the more you write, the more you’ll find your unique voice. Mistakes? They’re just stepping stones to improvement!
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- Everyone has their own Journey: Your journey is uniquely yours, and that’s something to celebrate! While it’s easy to compare yourself to others, focus on your own progress and experiences. Every step you take is valuable. Engage with fellow bloggers, share your insights, and learn from one another. Your individual story adds richness to the blogging community!
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- JUST START already (of you haven’t) : If you’ve been hesitating, take a deep breath and just start! There’s no better time than now. Write about what excites you and let your passion shine through. The more you create, the more confident you’ll become. Your voice is important, and sharing it can inspire others. Dive in—you’ve got this!
The Frustration of “Actually Doing” the Work
Once I finally decided to stop watching and start doing, I was hit with a harsh reality—blogging is hard work. Setting up the website, choosing the right design, and creating the first few pieces of content took hours, and nothing went as smoothly as I had imagined. Here’s what happened:
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- Website Setup: Even with step-by-step guides, setting up my WordPress site was a frustrating ordeal. There were glitches at every turn, slow load times that tested my patience, and endless tinkering just to get the layout right. What looked so straightforward in YouTube tutorials turned out to be a time-consuming labyrinth of technical issues. And don’t get me started on choosing a theme! I must have spent hours scrolling through options, trying to find the perfect fit, only to feel overwhelmed by the choices..
- Content Creation: Writing those first few blog posts was thrilling, but the moment I hit “publish,” reality set in. I quickly learned that traffic wouldn’t magically appear just because I hit that button. Suddenly, I was faced with the daunting world of SEO, keywords, and promotion—topics I had skimmed over during my YouTube binge. I felt like I was back at square one, trying to figure out how to get my content seen in a sea of voices.
- Overcoming Self Doubt As I pushed through the technical and creative challenges, self-doubt crept in. I questioned whether my writing was good enough, if anyone would care about my topics, or if I was simply wasting my time. Comparing myself to more established bloggers only added to the frustration, making me feel like an imposter in a crowded space.
- Time Management Balancing blogging with everyday responsibilities was another hurdle. Finding time to write amidst work, family, and social obligations felt impossible at times. I had to learn to carve out dedicated time for my blog, often sacrificing leisure activities, which added to my frustration and made me question my commitment.
- Learning Curve The learning curve was steep, from understanding analytics to figuring out social media marketing. Each new task felt like a mountain to climb, and I often found myself overwhelmed by the amount of information I needed to absorb. The excitement of starting a blog was frequently overshadowed by the weight of everything I still had to learn.
I realized that blogging is a long game. Success wasn’t going to happen overnight, and while watching videos gave me a blueprint, it didn’t give me the persistence needed to turn my blog into a business.
Breaking Free from the Spiral: What Finally Worked
It took some time, but I eventually found a balance between learning and doing. Here’s what helped me push through the frustration and start building a blog I could be proud of:
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- Action Over Consumption: Instead of spending hours watching more YouTube tutorials, I set limits. I dedicated only 30 minutes a day to learning, and the rest of my time went to actually working on the blog—writing posts, optimizing my site, and promoting my content.
- Setting Realistic Expectations: I reminded myself that success takes time. Building a profitable blog doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s okay to grow slowly. This mindset shift helped me stay focused on creating quality content rather than obsessing over quick money-making schemes.
- Celebrate Small Wins: I learned to appreciate small milestones, like completing a new blog post or receiving a comment from a reader. These little victories kept me motivated when the bigger goals—like earning money—felt far away.
- Consistency is Key: I committed to posting regularly and promoting my blog on social media. Over time, I began to see slow but steady growth, both in traffic and engagement.
Conclusion: From Frustration to Progress
Blogging, like any creative venture, requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to push through frustration. Watching YouTube videos can be a great way to learn, but it can also become a form of procrastination. I found that the key to success was not in watching endless tutorials but in doing the work—writing, creating, and slowly building my blog one step at a time.
If you’re feeling stuck in the learning phase like I was, remember that progress comes from action. So take a break from YouTube, put your knowledge into practice, and keep going even when it feels tough. Eventually, the effort will pay off, and you’ll have a blog that’s truly yours.