Why the ‘I Hit 1K Subs’ YouTube Trend Pulls 10x Views
5 min read
There's one video that every creator seems to make
and it almost always blows up.
Some variation of: “How YouTube changed my life with 1000 subscribers”
These milestone videos consistently pull 3-10x more views than anything else on these channels.
As a creator who recently crossed this threshold on YouTube, I had to understand why they click so well. So, I watched 100 of them.
That probably makes me the foremost expert on milestone videos in the world. But they didn’t teach me how to make a better celebration video.
In fact they convinced me to not make one at all.
Because buried in these videos was something far more valuable about succeeding as a creator.
A lesson that, despite becoming creative director of a billion-dollar tech org and building a 100k following on Instagram, would have saved me years of imposter syndrome and self-doubt (and got me here much faster).
In video after video, creators say some version of: “I did it. I made it. I’m proof this is possible.”
You could write this off as audiences just celebrating a creator’s success. But the fact these videos consistently pull in 3-10x more views, far beyond what these channels typically receive, suggests something deeper is happening.
I believe these videos work for two reasons: 1. These creators are for the first time able to claim genuine authority through reaching a recognized milestone, and 2. That milestone feels close enough for their audience to envision achieving it as well.
But, this sense of authority, and the confidence it brings both for the creators and their viewers isn't unique to these specific types of videos.
Watch any successful creator - those who’ve truly mastered their craft.
Within the first 30 seconds they’ll strategically introduce what is referred to as an “appeal to authority” - and the best ones do it without you even noticing it.
THEY do this with intention because they’ve built up the practice and know how powerful it is. But with YouTube setting these early milestones like 1,000 subscribers, newer creators accidentally tap into this same psychological effect when they hit these thresholds. They share their journey and unlock this power without even realizing what makes it work.
The truth is, you don’t need to wait for those milestones to claim this authority.
Most creators try to master everything at once. Their entire craft. Their whole field. It’s overwhelming, and it keeps them feeling like an amateur forever.
Instead, focus on becoming the 1% of one small thing.
Not your entire field. Not everything you do. Just one specific, strategically chosen aspect of your larger goal.
When I started environment art and worldbuilding, I didn’t let the years-long journey overwhelm me. I carved out one specific aspect: lighting.
I tracked down every single high-end, paid course on lighting 3D real-time environments. Spent two months completing them all. Then pitched a senior lighting artist at a top gaming studio for mentorship.
My pitch wasn’t “teach me everything and lead the way.” It was “I’ve taken every premium course on this topic. I'm ready for the next step.”
Two sessions later, I posted my very first lighting study. Unreal Engine reshared it to millions across their social channels.
I'm fully aware I'm nowhere near the level of a senior lighting artist.
That wasn’t the point.
But among beginners, I knew 99% wouldn’t take every premium lighting course available. That one focused action set me apart.
The framework is simple: Frame your actions by preceding them with “As someone who has…” and feel out if it carries weight.
Everyone claims to read books. Most watch YouTube summaries or set them by their bedside. Few have ACTUALLY read and taken detailed notes on the 10 most important books in their field. We all know its true.
Maybe you’ve watched 10 movies in your genre at some point. But have you documented everything that speaks to you in real-time as you watched through and studied them? Followed each viewing with 10 creator interviews? Listed 10-100 inspirations and references that shaped each work?
Anyone can passively consume videos on their topic. Few analyze 100 examples and document the patterns. Few spend 100 hours mapping what works.
The achievement doesn’t have to be massive. It’s about strategic choices and framing: - “100 hours of study” hits harder than “10 books” - “100 examples analyzed” carries more weight than “18 hours of research” - “I’ve completed every premium course on X” sets you apart instantly
Most people fail because they set impossible goals (“I’ll do this every day... forever”) or wait for distant milestones (10,000 hours of mastery).
You don’t need external validation to prove you aren’t an imposter. You don’t need 1,000 subscribers or 10 years of experience.
One focused action can put you ahead of 99% of beginners in your field. Choose it strategically. Execute it thoroughly.
That foundation of confidence will carry you through being a beginner at everything else. It also might 10x your next YouTube video.
If you enjoyed this letter you can watch it in more depth over on YouTube.
There's one video that every creator seems to make
and it almost always blows up.
Some variation of: “How YouTube changed my life with 1000 subscribers”
These milestone videos consistently pull 3-10x more views than anything else on these channels.
As a creator who recently crossed this threshold on YouTube, I had to understand why they click so well. So, I watched 100 of them.
That probably makes me the foremost expert on milestone videos in the world. But they didn’t teach me how to make a better celebration video.
In fact they convinced me to not make one at all.
Because buried in these videos was something far more valuable about succeeding as a creator.
A lesson that, despite becoming creative director of a billion-dollar tech org and building a 100k following on Instagram, would have saved me years of imposter syndrome and self-doubt (and got me here much faster).
In video after video, creators say some version of: “I did it. I made it. I’m proof this is possible.”
You could write this off as audiences just celebrating a creator’s success. But the fact these videos consistently pull in 3-10x more views, far beyond what these channels typically receive, suggests something deeper is happening.
I believe these videos work for two reasons: 1. These creators are for the first time able to claim genuine authority through reaching a recognized milestone, and 2. That milestone feels close enough for their audience to envision achieving it as well.
But, this sense of authority, and the confidence it brings both for the creators and their viewers isn't unique to these specific types of videos.
Watch any successful creator - those who’ve truly mastered their craft.
Within the first 30 seconds they’ll strategically introduce what is referred to as an “appeal to authority” - and the best ones do it without you even noticing it.
THEY do this with intention because they’ve built up the practice and know how powerful it is. But with YouTube setting these early milestones like 1,000 subscribers, newer creators accidentally tap into this same psychological effect when they hit these thresholds. They share their journey and unlock this power without even realizing what makes it work.
The truth is, you don’t need to wait for those milestones to claim this authority.
Most creators try to master everything at once. Their entire craft. Their whole field. It’s overwhelming, and it keeps them feeling like an amateur forever.
Instead, focus on becoming the 1% of one small thing.
Not your entire field. Not everything you do. Just one specific, strategically chosen aspect of your larger goal.
When I started environment art and worldbuilding, I didn’t let the years-long journey overwhelm me. I carved out one specific aspect: lighting.
I tracked down every single high-end, paid course on lighting 3D real-time environments. Spent two months completing them all. Then pitched a senior lighting artist at a top gaming studio for mentorship.
My pitch wasn’t “teach me everything and lead the way.” It was “I’ve taken every premium course on this topic. I'm ready for the next step.”
Two sessions later, I posted my very first lighting study. Unreal Engine reshared it to millions across their social channels.
I'm fully aware I'm nowhere near the level of a senior lighting artist.
That wasn’t the point.
But among beginners, I knew 99% wouldn’t take every premium lighting course available. That one focused action set me apart.
The framework is simple: Frame your actions by preceding them with “As someone who has…” and feel out if it carries weight.
Everyone claims to read books. Most watch YouTube summaries or set them by their bedside. Few have ACTUALLY read and taken detailed notes on the 10 most important books in their field. We all know its true.
Maybe you’ve watched 10 movies in your genre at some point. But have you documented everything that speaks to you in real-time as you watched through and studied them? Followed each viewing with 10 creator interviews? Listed 10-100 inspirations and references that shaped each work?
Anyone can passively consume videos on their topic. Few analyze 100 examples and document the patterns. Few spend 100 hours mapping what works.
The achievement doesn’t have to be massive. It’s about strategic choices and framing: - “100 hours of study” hits harder than “10 books” - “100 examples analyzed” carries more weight than “18 hours of research” - “I’ve completed every premium course on X” sets you apart instantly
Most people fail because they set impossible goals (“I’ll do this every day... forever”) or wait for distant milestones (10,000 hours of mastery).
You don’t need external validation to prove you aren’t an imposter. You don’t need 1,000 subscribers or 10 years of experience.
One focused action can put you ahead of 99% of beginners in your field. Choose it strategically. Execute it thoroughly.
That foundation of confidence will carry you through being a beginner at everything else. It also might 10x your next YouTube video.
If you enjoyed this letter you can watch it in more depth over on YouTube.
There's one video that every creator seems to make
and it almost always blows up.
Some variation of: “How YouTube changed my life with 1000 subscribers”
These milestone videos consistently pull 3-10x more views than anything else on these channels.
As a creator who recently crossed this threshold on YouTube, I had to understand why they click so well. So, I watched 100 of them.
That probably makes me the foremost expert on milestone videos in the world. But they didn’t teach me how to make a better celebration video.
In fact they convinced me to not make one at all.
Because buried in these videos was something far more valuable about succeeding as a creator.
A lesson that, despite becoming creative director of a billion-dollar tech org and building a 100k following on Instagram, would have saved me years of imposter syndrome and self-doubt (and got me here much faster).
In video after video, creators say some version of: “I did it. I made it. I’m proof this is possible.”
You could write this off as audiences just celebrating a creator’s success. But the fact these videos consistently pull in 3-10x more views, far beyond what these channels typically receive, suggests something deeper is happening.
I believe these videos work for two reasons: 1. These creators are for the first time able to claim genuine authority through reaching a recognized milestone, and 2. That milestone feels close enough for their audience to envision achieving it as well.
But, this sense of authority, and the confidence it brings both for the creators and their viewers isn't unique to these specific types of videos.
Watch any successful creator - those who’ve truly mastered their craft.
Within the first 30 seconds they’ll strategically introduce what is referred to as an “appeal to authority” - and the best ones do it without you even noticing it.
THEY do this with intention because they’ve built up the practice and know how powerful it is. But with YouTube setting these early milestones like 1,000 subscribers, newer creators accidentally tap into this same psychological effect when they hit these thresholds. They share their journey and unlock this power without even realizing what makes it work.
The truth is, you don’t need to wait for those milestones to claim this authority.
Most creators try to master everything at once. Their entire craft. Their whole field. It’s overwhelming, and it keeps them feeling like an amateur forever.
Instead, focus on becoming the 1% of one small thing.
Not your entire field. Not everything you do. Just one specific, strategically chosen aspect of your larger goal.
When I started environment art and worldbuilding, I didn’t let the years-long journey overwhelm me. I carved out one specific aspect: lighting.
I tracked down every single high-end, paid course on lighting 3D real-time environments. Spent two months completing them all. Then pitched a senior lighting artist at a top gaming studio for mentorship.
My pitch wasn’t “teach me everything and lead the way.” It was “I’ve taken every premium course on this topic. I'm ready for the next step.”
Two sessions later, I posted my very first lighting study. Unreal Engine reshared it to millions across their social channels.
I'm fully aware I'm nowhere near the level of a senior lighting artist.
That wasn’t the point.
But among beginners, I knew 99% wouldn’t take every premium lighting course available. That one focused action set me apart.
The framework is simple: Frame your actions by preceding them with “As someone who has…” and feel out if it carries weight.
Everyone claims to read books. Most watch YouTube summaries or set them by their bedside. Few have ACTUALLY read and taken detailed notes on the 10 most important books in their field. We all know its true.
Maybe you’ve watched 10 movies in your genre at some point. But have you documented everything that speaks to you in real-time as you watched through and studied them? Followed each viewing with 10 creator interviews? Listed 10-100 inspirations and references that shaped each work?
Anyone can passively consume videos on their topic. Few analyze 100 examples and document the patterns. Few spend 100 hours mapping what works.
The achievement doesn’t have to be massive. It’s about strategic choices and framing: - “100 hours of study” hits harder than “10 books” - “100 examples analyzed” carries more weight than “18 hours of research” - “I’ve completed every premium course on X” sets you apart instantly
Most people fail because they set impossible goals (“I’ll do this every day... forever”) or wait for distant milestones (10,000 hours of mastery).
You don’t need external validation to prove you aren’t an imposter. You don’t need 1,000 subscribers or 10 years of experience.
One focused action can put you ahead of 99% of beginners in your field. Choose it strategically. Execute it thoroughly.
That foundation of confidence will carry you through being a beginner at everything else. It also might 10x your next YouTube video.
If you enjoyed this letter you can watch it in more depth over on YouTube.
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