Awhile back I started a project to study people considered to be “great” in their field. Think of people like Steve Jobs, Frida Kahlo, and Nelson Mandela. At the time I was on the journey (still am) to discover self mastery and what it takes to become successful or someone considered to be “great”. My struggles with procrastination and lack of motivation (probably depression) caused me to fail at this project before it even bore legs.
The same happened with this website. The inception for this site was a true light bulb moment in November 2016 while I was working the election polls. And now here we are February 2020 with the first real post. Well the swan song is over and I’ve decided to take a stab at my “greatness” project again. This time the idea came to me over the weekend while recovering from the flu. I started to think about the 3 year rule. A rule I created in my head to define successful Influencers that go “viral” after three years of consistent work creating content.
Lamenting over my blogs (yes I have several) and Youtube channel I wondered where I would be if I had put in consistent work years ago instead of starting then stopping? I then thought about all the different people posting their “I Quit” stories. I think at this point I was mindlessly scrolling Instagram and saw a new “I Quit” post on the “Rich and Regular”, an account I just started to follow. Then I remembered when Kevin Curry of “FitmenCook” posted his “I Quit” story. I thought he posted it in 2017 but couldn’t be certain of the date so went on a search through his Instagram page to find my answer. Somewhere after scrolling through thousands of recipes posts later, in the land of 2014, I found his “I Quit” post.
I Quit!
The infamous “I Quit” post is the golden point in any influencers life when they no longer need to balance a full time day job with their budding side hustle or company. It is the true point of no return when they realize that placing 100% into your passion instead of into“working for the man” would create a better life by taking a bet on yourself. And if it didn’t, it wouldn’t matter because of the intense passion.
After reading Kevin Curry’s post, so many questions swam through my head. “Did he beat the three year rule?” “If he started FMC in 2012 and went FT in 2014 he surely did, didn’t he?”
“When did he hire help, like a manager and cameraman?” “Did he do all his own marketing?” “Does he ever get overwhelmed with content creation?” “If his why in the beginningwas mental health and weight loss what is it eight years later?”
So many questions. Then it hit me. After what felt like hours, STILL scrolling his Instagram and revisiting old posts. And then moving over to Youtube videos and watching interviews. I thought “Why not study Influencers”? They are our modern day greats and we can learn more about their rise from side hustlers to the “I Quit” story. So I continued to watch Kevin’s content but this time as a researcher clinging to every word and recipe. During my research I had the same questions that ultimately became my benchmarks.
Research Questions for Studying Influencers:
1. What is the WHY?
2. Does consistency in content creation play a role?
3. How would you judge their success?
4. Were there any courses or outside resources that assisted in their rise?
5. Is there an apparent formula to their content strategy (posting)?
The Study
Now let’s review what I found during my search. Since the I Quit story was the catalysis, I will start with that post.
“When you stop chasing money and start chasing purpose, you will find prosperity and peace.” “Today I did something radical. I quit my job…”
Date: January 21st 2014 Likes: 16, 531
First recipe post: 7/17/12 on Tumblr (achieved 9 notes)
Curry shared in this interview that he was considering Google before leaving his FT job to work 100% on Fitmen Cook
Introspection: There appears to be a crucial time for Influencers before deciding to take a leap out on faith. I will call this time the Crossroads. At the Crossroads you are presented with an opportunity that pushes you to decide on moving towards your passion or staying within your comfort zone.
Had Kevin Curry decided to continue pursuing his 9 to 5pm and work on FMC as a part time hustle, we may never have experienced the explosive impact the had on the world.
The Formula:
The Crossroads equals when the influencer makes a choice to move forward or not on their career. And the I Quit equals the catalysis that keeps that influencer moving forward with consistent content creation. Engagement with their audience and Alignment with their true purpose provides adrenaline to push forward. Influencers can read viewer comments in a matter of seconds after posting a new piece.
In the beginning of creating his brand, Curry repeatedly let his followers know that he reads every single comment. Responding to subscriber comments is one thing that many influencers lack. Curry’s practice allowed readers to build a connection with him through his content and his honesty about his struggles with depression and anxiety. Also he is very charismatic and has such an infectious laugh. What’s not to love?
His alignment with his purpose sharing recipes that are “always healthy and never boring” resonates with viewers. And they are easy to follow, vibrant and visually appealing, as well as budget friendly. I guess it’s true what they say, when you love the work you do you can never get sick of it. You enjoy being in that flow state and creation comes easily. People are always drawn to those that are able to practice self mastery to fulfill their dreams. I mean seriously look at the thousands attracted to Oprah Winfrey or Michelle Obama.
He has over three thousands post on Instagram and hundreds of recipes on his app and website. The strategy appears simple, consistency every single day. In the interviews I watched Curry showed how he sketches his recipes in a journal or on his Ipad.
The most impressive take away is this, if you want to pursue your passion, do so with unwavering faith and consistency. This is a big lesson to me as someone who easily gives up before seeing any major break throughs. As I continue to study Influencers, I will try to adapt one thing from their strategy or belief system. From Kevin I vow to practice creating more healthy home cooked meals. I’ll post them periodically.
Does this article resonate with you? Or do you already follow Fit Men Cook? Let me know in the comments you favorite one of Kevin’s recipes. BOOM!