In January last year, I burned out.
One thing that crashed me down has been social media addiction.
Twitter (now π) was a large part of my public identity. Back then, you’d have seen me spend time with people and obsess over engagement. I truly enjoyed the hustle.
But for the majority of my weeks, I wasted countless hours on things that had little to no impact and lost my mind doing so. It’s not a good outcome for an indie maker who strives to build a business.
That’s why I didn’t feel ready to return yet.
I’ve wanted to take on this challenge for quite some time but was afraid to fall again.
Last week, however, I finally found the courage for an unplanned comeback.
It might have been too early, butβ¦
Sometimes, you have to feel the fear and take the leap anyway. Isn’t it?
And here’s my plan to set sail on Twitter π again (with a renovated mind).
How to set sail on π: my new personal strategy to grow on social media without losing the mind
Getting back wasn’t an easy choice.
Given what happened last time, I don’t want to go through that storm again.
So, planning the route before venturing into high waters is necessary.
What will I do differently this time around?
Reading the winds before setting sail (understanding the rules)
I left at the start of 2023 and got back in 2024.
Game rules might differ now. Better assess the playground first.
Indeed, to rephrase a famous quote, nothing has changed, but everything has changed.
For example?
Reach is way different than before
Now, π accounts with a Premium subscription get more views than users who don’t have it. I’m one of them, and I didn’t warm up my account either, so the reach plummeted.
I’m not angry, tho. It’s just how the algorithm works.
Soon, I might need to compromise and play the same game π wants. But for now, I’ll enjoy some weeks of assessment and less pressure before going full-throttle again.
Friends come and go
The first few days back, π felt like attending a different high school. Remember when you step in and don’t know anyone?
Many old friends quit, and others focus entirely on their journeys.
But it’s okayβtime to connect with new peers, grow relationships, and make the most of it.
If it’s called social media, there must be a reason after all.
Mindfulness is not only a cool word
Another thing that is very different from before is that I already know my mental health is at risk.
Let’s be honest. I have problems with notification zero and FOMO, which is why I have binged content in the past. Replying to or keeping up with everyone is not feasible.
Things can sidetrack quite fast.
Instead of building products, I would suffer from performativity issues.
And here’s how I’m going to take care of it.
Part I: Setting up the expectations and goals
After the return, one of my friends raised an interesting question.
“What’s your goal using Twitter?” β Twitter, π, whatever it is. LOL. β “If it’s a tool to achieve an end and brings benefits, fine. If it becomes an end in itself, there is no point.”
There’s nothing more to add to what Matteo said (thanks for the assist, mate).
What’s the goal of publishing on social media like π?
I always saw the platform as a way to gain exposure and credibility.
It’s the land of indie makers.
And since my dream is to run a business and live from my creations, detaching money from the hours worked, my goal in using π is…
Getting seen.
Bring views, subscribers, and customers to my products.
What I’ll be sharing on π to get seen?
You should know I procrastinated my dream life for six years while working as a marketing freelancer before leaping into indie making.
I then ditched the expert route to become a jack of all trades but felt lost and didn’t know where to start. I don’t have a niche and don’t want to narrow my interests to only one topic.
Hence, I have started sharing every step of this indie journey (so you can do the same).
On π, I talk about experiments, learnings, wins, and failures in the true spirit of building in public. But you can also count on memes, irony, pizza, and anything interesting that may pop up along the way because, well, it’s so… me.
Ready?
Part II: Striving for consistency (without getting mad at it)
Would you follow someone who disappears here and there?
π is of the same advice. It forces you to get on a content creation treadmill.
Thus, Typefully’s latest challenge presented a great opportunity to step up the game. For this reason, I joined their “30 posts in 30 days” contest to shackle the cobwebs and hold myself accountable.
This is more than the sole goal of 30 consecutive tweeting days.
This challenge is about:
- building a habit
- stop overthinking
- getting out of the comfort zone
- publishing content on a regular schedule
But how will I tweet for 30 days without losing my mind?
Timeboxing the efforts is the answer.
Part III: Sailing in calm seas
Getting seen these days might be a hard swallow.
I might be tempted to increase my engagement inputs, but that would only drive me to burnout again. And I won’t make the same error twice.
I want to take it easy.
Knowing my goal and where I come from, here’s the deal to start small.
Dedicate only 1 or 2 Pomodoro’s timers per day.
No more than two. And no tweets from the couch at night to avoid things going south.
As simple as that.
Coating the sails: an important message before departing (you can lend a hand)
The day I tweeted? My gut shook for hours.
Honestly, posting again scared me to death. The many what-ifs pulled my head into hours of overthinking (and my friend Luca knows how much I thought about it).
Getting back has been a huge win, but I’m still trying to determine whether it was the right decision.
Yet, this is not the arrival.
The return is one of the first steps forward to a long journey.
And let me tell you, I wouldn’t be where I am if it was solely due to my efforts. So a big thanks go to people who support me every day and enjoy being around me. It matters a lot.
That’s the power of connections.
Together, we thrive.
So here’s a few ways you can help if you want to:
- Recommend The Maker Journey (and my other upcoming products) to your friends.
- Follow me on π (@heymattia) to connect and grow together.
- Drop me a line about what I can do better, or send me a few words of encouragement.
If you do, thanks a lot from the bottom of my heart.
Alright. Time’s up.
It’s time to hoist the sails and tell the world, “Life’s too short to put pineapple on pizza” again π
See you around.
Mattia
PS: Who knew this old article to grow on Twitter would’ve come in handy to plan the route?