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I've been thinking... I wonder how different the ttrpg industry would be if people reassessed (publicly or privately) their goals every X months/followers/sales/releases/episodes.
I'm gonna expand on this and discuss some of my own goals, but first a couple ground CYOAs.
1) I don't think any goals are better than others, they all matter dependent on life circumstance. Don't try to convince me because I won't do that fight.
2) I'm going to discuss money and
1) I don't think any goals are better than others, they all matter dependent on life circumstance. Don't try to convince me because I won't do that fight.
2) I'm going to discuss money and
your hobbies every time I do that, a handful of people say I'm a Bad Guy Hustle Culture Capitalist and a handful say I'm Trying To Prevent People From Making Money. I'm DEF not doing those fights and will insta-block. Go get money or don't, I'm not your dad.
Alright, boring part done.
When you start a creative endeavor (especially one in the public eye or with a social media component), you are taking on stress, responsibility, and work. There's also no pre-burned trails. Ttrpgs are a niche industry and you're finding your own way.
When you start a creative endeavor (especially one in the public eye or with a social media component), you are taking on stress, responsibility, and work. There's also no pre-burned trails. Ttrpgs are a niche industry and you're finding your own way.
This is made worse by the two comparison points most people have when they enter the ttrpg space, the home group (zero capital, zero visibility) and WotC/Critical Role/Adventure Zone (full time job capital, millions of visibility).
When you start designing, podcasting, streaming, whatever, it's REALLY hard to set your sights and goals realistically. The MOMENT you go live, you are infinitely more visible than a home game and you will (probably) never be WotC/CR.
That's okay, but you should still set goals.
That's okay, but you should still set goals.
When I'm talking about goals, they can be numerical (sales, downloads, followers), philosophical (representation, producing art), social (play and have fun, meet friends, meet famous people), productive (make a thing, make 5 things), whatever.
You can for a while coast without goals. I did. It was great. As i did work, i was putting more and more time in, getting more visibility, taking on more responsibility.
The trouble is that humans WANT. We aren't satisfied by just stumbling into things.
The trouble is that humans WANT. We aren't satisfied by just stumbling into things.
Having no goals is the same pressure as having all goals.
I put that alone because it's important. If you retain nothing else, let that sentence haunt your dreams like a massive feathered beast that screams at you in the night .
Having no goals is the same pressure as having all goals.
Having no goals is the same pressure as having all goals.
It won't feel like it at first. You're finally getting recognized and you're just having fun! But without direction, your human brain will want to expand in all directions.
When that happens, it's so easy to overextend or get bitter.
When that happens, it's so easy to overextend or get bitter.
If you have no goals, youll always be too unproductive, too unknown, never make enough money or games or friends, you'll not be your best. You'll probably do well on a couple measures, the things you are already skilled at, but it won't feel like victory.
The reason for this is that these goals don't all take the same work and all of them require full attention to do!
You may start to fall in with a network or group of friends that leads you a certain way, but that may not be right for you.
You may start to fall in with a network or group of friends that leads you a certain way, but that may not be right for you.
Then it's all momentum baby. You'll find some success sometimes and it'll maybe be what you need! But if it isn't, that can matter.
Its like the "i can't eat exposure."
Its like the "i can't eat exposure."
Once you have your goals, figure out the path that gets you to them. Don't waste your time chasing what doesn't!
If you want/need money, work hard for patronage, run Kickstarters, aim for marketable projects. If you don't care about money, you are under no obligation to do these
If you want/need money, work hard for patronage, run Kickstarters, aim for marketable projects. If you don't care about money, you are under no obligation to do these
If you want followers, tweet often, watch engagement time, join discourse. If you don't want followers, you are under no obligation to do this.
If you want to be prolific with products, write often, release early, be a stretch goal
If you want to be prolific with products, write often, release early, be a stretch goal
If you want your hearts project fully realized,take 5 years and do it.
Find your goal(s), find your path to them, and tune out the rest.
BUT reassess often because momentum WILL kick in.
Find your goal(s), find your path to them, and tune out the rest.
BUT reassess often because momentum WILL kick in.
I probably stopped caring about followers 2,000 followers ago. I was a known enough deal that I could reach out to people i like and be taken seriously.
Momentum kept me chasing that goal. Chasing that goal I got to the middle of orc discourse.
Momentum kept me chasing that goal. Chasing that goal I got to the middle of orc discourse.
It is so easy to burn out chasing the goal you no longer want. I don't want that for any of you.
And now, money where the mouth is... My current goals.
And now, money where the mouth is... My current goals.
I'm tired. My life is good and SO busy. I want to rekindle my love of ttrpgs and make Pasión de las Pasiones and Protean City the best they can be. I want to hang out with friends and talk/play games.
If I don't grow, that's okay. If I shrink, that's okay.
If I don't grow, that's okay. If I shrink, that's okay.
And when Pasión is in hands, I'm going to do a big new reassessment, but i think I'm probably fully done chasing fame. I'll probably never make a game that is as personal OR sells as well as Pasión. And that's okay. Because I'll have new goals
My hands are ITCHING to delete this thread because it's not getting likes or momentum. Followers was my goal for SO long it's tough to give it up.
But it stays up.
Have a good night, all.
But it stays up.
Have a good night, all.
As a final post note, it's fine and normal for your goals to change. I started out wanting to meet heroes, then wanting to get famous, then increasing Latinx rep, then needing money (i needed ttrpgs to supplement my job to keep up with food/bills for several years), then credits.
There were overlaps and things came up a couple of times and that's fine.
