Every budding creator dreams of going viral.

When my first instagram reel took off, my brain chemistry literally changed overnight. I felt hypomanic, unstoppable, on top of the world.

But here’s the truth no one prepares you for:

Going viral is just the beginning.

And if you mistake it for the end goal, you’ll crash and burn.

Before I tell you the keys to my virality (and no, they're not cheap growth hacks), let’s unpack the hidden dangers you should expect.

The 3 Truths No One Tells You About Going Viral

Early on, I believed:

"Once I hit 10K followers, 50K, 100K... I'll have it all figured out."

That was a lie.

But having hit these milestones from several viral moments, I have experienced and seen major pitfalls that I believe everyone building a personal brand should know:

Pitfall #1: Chasing virality is the best way to never get it

Now, this isn't one of those spiritual woowoo lessons. It's practical.

When you treat going viral as the primary goal, you build a shaky foundation for your creative career.

What chasing virality looks like:

• You position yourself as a know-it-all
• You burn out after 20 posts of no views
• You over-edit and clickbait your content

Here's the thing: your first viral hit is not the finish line. It's the start of the real game. Don’t destroy your engine just to get there.

Pitfall #2: Going viral without a system breaks you

Virality shakes weak foundations.

For months, I've been stretched thin:

• Filming, editing, and posting across platforms
• Replying to DM's, comments, emails
• Building resources and testing offers
• All while moving, travel planning, and going abroad

Last week, my biggest hit of virality came. While I was sick. And behind on all the above.

Most days ended up being just me in an Airbnb, trying to write, film, edit, manage ops, prep a meetup, respond to DMs, and coughing through strategizing my next few weeks.

That’s not freedom. That’s a fragile hustle.

Pitfall #3: Viral growth outpaces identity growth

When I started, I was tweeting to nobody from my bedroom.

Last week, 15 strangers showed up to my meetup in Tokyo. Some had followed me since the beginning of my “50 Days to $1K” challenge.

Izakaya in Shibuya

That meetup was when I realized… this sh*t is real.

When you experience viral growth, you'll feel watched. You'll get your first hate comments. You'll be tested.

“Am I still being me? Or am I just performing?”

External growth will outpace your identity growth.

And as that gap widens, you have two options:

1. Know exactly who you are.
2. Figure it out while the world is watching.

I’ve been doing the second one. You’ll need to choose your own path.

The world will ask who you are, and if you do not know, the world will tell you.

Carl Jung

How to Go Viral (Without Getting Burned)

I want you to go viral.

The point of the above warnings were not to dissuade you from trying to grow your personal brand.

But the reality is your first viral moment is when Pandora’s Box is opened.

So here's the practical advice I would give myself if I were starting over and wanted to go viral without burning out:

1. Process-Oriented Goals

When I first started posting on X, I posted 10+ times a day with no expectation. Just a promise to myself to post every day.

I posted over 300 times and barely got any traction. But I never once thought to stop trying to build my personal brand.

When I started 50 Days to $1K, I brought the same mindset. No expectations. Just a promise to show up for 50 days, no matter what.

Ironically, the very first reel I posted from that challenge went viral.

If followers were my only goal…

• I would’ve burned out after the first 300 ignored tweets.
• I would’ve quit after 40 days of slow growth after an anomaly breakout moment.
• I would’ve stopped writing these newsletters after spending 10+ hours on editions that were seen by just 50 people.

But I trusted the process, not the outcomes.

Here’s the truth:

Going viral is inevitable…. if you iterate long enough.

Treat consistency as the win. Ship → Learn → Repeat.

2. Systemize Content

I won’t pretend I have this one all figured out.

But I did have some minimum viable processes that enabled me to produce content at the rate that I did (93 instagram posts in 72 days):

• Repeatable content formats (talking heads, narration over b-roll, carousels, etc.)
• Editing systems (music bank, b-roll sources)
• Weekly commitments (newsletter, project: freedom episodes)

These are the ones I wish I had in place now that I’m playing catch up:

• Filming + editing schedule (so it’s not haphazard)
• Emergency content buffers (backup posts for when life happens)
• DM and Email processes (time-bound engagement each day)

If I could go back and tell myself one thing, it would be this:

Don’t avoid systems just because you’re early.

Build systems as you go. Test them out. Batch content. Reuse formats. Iterate and improve them over time.

3. Play to Win

I used to play to avoid losing.

This mindset permeated everything I did.

I anxiously held onto money, avoided risks, stayed on a default path I didn’t actually want.

But every significant success I’ve had in life, including each moment of virality, followed a decision to bet on myself without guarantees.

I was terrified to leave Google without income. I was terrified to show my face on social media.

But it was the combination of those two decisions that created my breakthrough.

Now, I’m absolutely not saying to quit your job. But to grow your personal brand, and to succeed in life in general, you must shift your attitude to play offense.

For example:

• Actually write or film your first post and just post it
• Invest the money for tools that will 3x your output (I use ChatGPT Plus and CapCut Pro to save me hours each week)
• Speak your mind on topics you’re scared of in your content—chances are, other people are too and want to feel seen

I recently made the mistake of playing defense by avoiding hiring help. Now I’m facing the consequences with:

• 30+ hours/week editing
• Hundreds of unanswered DMs
• No room for strategy or rest

I’m not saying to rush to spend all your money. I’m not saying to make rash decisions. But hold this mindset:

Play to win.

Why It's All Worth It

I’ve painted a chaotic picture in this newsletter. But there’s a bright side.

At my Tokyo meetup, someone said:

• “I've followed you since Day 2!”
• Another asked me my first-ever photo request.
• One follower knew my story better than my closest friends.

Every day I get comments and DM’s from people telling me that my story has positively impacted their lives.

Building my personal brand unlocked a spectrum of emotions I hadn’t experienced in so long:

Joy. Terror. Meaning. Risk. Freedom.

It’s been hard, lonely, more stressful than my Google days.

But I have never felt more alive.

That's why my next step is helping others start.

Introducing: The 30-Day Personal Brand Challenge

I believe personal branding is the modern cheat code - the ultimate leverage machine.

I used to have to ask for opportunities. Now, opportunities come to me: startup roles, brand deals, masterminds with other creators.

I used to have to ask for a seat at the table. Now I have to learn to say no. It's insane.

What is a personal brand? Simply put: it's you, at scale.

This doesn’t mean becoming a fake influencer. It means being known for what you want to be known for - and using that visibility to open doors.

While I have to acknowledge luck was a factor in my journey, I never would have positioned myself for luck without starting.

That's why I'm hosting a free 30-day personal brand challenge starting July 7. No guarantees, no promises - just an opportunity to overcome fear and rewire your identity into someone who ships content. Someone who acts.

By the end of 30 days, you’ll have a brand that reflects who you actually are. Over 700 people have already joined.

If you're serious about starting, join the challenge here.

See you next week, —Jim