Honestly, hitting 50 sales on my first digital brush pack felt more like a fluke than a real win.

Tbh, everyone acts like a big number means you've made it, but for me it just highlighted how random the algorithm can be compared to actual skill, so has anyone else felt kinda empty after a 'milestone'?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey_barnes2mo ago

I read an interview with a musician who said going platinum felt like a door slammed shut behind him, not opened in front. The pressure to repeat that random success was worse than never having it. Your brush pack story reminds me of that. The platform's luck feels separate from the real work you put into making something good. It can make a win feel hollow, like you're celebrating a lottery ticket instead of your craft.

paulperry2mo agoTop Commenter

Spot on, @casey_barnes. Feels like winning someone else's race.

rubyreed1mo ago

Read a piece in the Economist a few months back about how algorithms are basically running the show now. They talked to a writer whose book got a massive push from Amazon's algorithm but she said it felt like cheating, like the book wasn't really hers anymore. That stuck with me because it's exactly what you're describing. The platform's luck IS separate from the work, and when that luck hits, it can mess with your head. You start wondering if you even deserved it.