I Used to Film the Same Video 12 Times (And Still Feel Like a Fraud)

In a recent YouTube video, I shared my 3 A's framework and got flooded with messages asking "But what does that actually look like in practice?" Which made me realize I'd done that thing I hate when other people do it. I shared the theory without the messy reality of how I actually figured this stuff out.

So here's the truth: I spent months knowing I needed to be "authentic" on camera and having absolutely no idea what that meant. I'd film the same 30-second video twelve times and still feel like I was pretending to be someone else.

I'm still figuring this out, but I've learned some things about what actually works for me when I'm staring at that camera wondering who the hell I'm supposed to be.

What I'm sharing today: the specific mistakes I made with each of the 3 A's, what I'm learning now, and the messy process of actually applying this stuff in real life.

What I'm Learning Today

• Why "just be yourself" made me feel more lost (and what I do instead now)

• The attention strategy that backfired on me (and what I'm trying instead)

• My burnout cycle with "taking action" (and the rhythm I'm testing now)

My "Authentic" Disaster Phase

I used to think authentic meant unfiltered. Like I had to share everything, be vulnerable about everything, never plan what I was going to say. I'd hit record and just start talking about whatever was on my mind.

The result? Videos that felt scattered and self-indulgent. I was being "real" but I wasn't being helpful.

What I was getting wrong: I thought authentic meant identical. Like who I am on camera had to be exactly who I am when I'm having a bad day or processing something difficult.

What I'm learning instead: For me, authenticity feels more like alignment. Same values, same way I actually talk to people, same way I care about helping someone figure something out.

The mistake I keep catching myself making: I'll prepare what I want to say, then when I hit record, I try to sound more "professional." I use words I don't actually use. I explain things in a way that sounds polished but doesn't sound like me.

What's working for me now: I film a test version where I'm literally just leaving a voice message for someone I'm trying to help. Then I notice what changes when I try to make it "good enough" for the internet. Usually, what changes is exactly what I need to keep.

I still use a teleprompter. I still write everything out first. I still feel weird watching myself back sometimes. And I'm learning that hiding those things doesn't make me more authentic, it makes me more performative.

What would authentic look like for you? Because I'm realizing it probably looks different for everyone.

My Empty Attention Phase

For months, I was obsessed with hooks and stopping the scroll. I'd study viral videos and try to reverse-engineer what made people pay attention. Big energy, bold statements, promising transformation in impossible timeframes.

Sometimes it worked. My views would spike. But the comments felt... empty. People were entertained but not actually helped. I was getting attention for this character I was playing, not for anything real I had to offer.

The mistake I was making: I was trying to be interesting instead of useful. I was optimizing for clicks instead of connection.

What I'm experimenting with now: Instead of asking "How do I get attention?" I'm asking "How do I help someone feel seen?"

I start with something specific that I know people in my position have felt. Like "I had thirty days of content scheduled and still felt behind." If you've been there, you know exactly what I mean.

I'm trying to name the thing everyone's thinking but not saying. Like how most advice about camera confidence assumes you already feel confident, when the whole problem is that you don't feel confident at all.

What I'm still figuring out: How to balance being helpful with being human. Sometimes I worry I'm being too vulnerable. Sometimes I worry I'm not being vulnerable enough. I'm learning that maybe the question isn't about vulnerability, it's about relevance.

The best responses I get now aren't "that was entertaining." They're "I felt like you were talking directly to me" or "how did you know exactly what I was thinking?"

What kind of attention actually feels good to you when you get it?

My Burnout Action Cycle

Last year I convinced myself that action meant posting more. More platforms, more frequency, more content types. I had this spreadsheet tracking everything and I felt constantly behind.

What actually happened was I burned out trying to maintain a pace that felt nothing like my natural rhythm. I was creating content that felt rushed and forgettable because I was optimizing for volume instead of quality.

The mistake I keep making: Thinking that if something isn't working, I need to do more of it. More posts, more platforms, more hustle.

What I'm testing instead: Building a practice that I can actually sustain and that helps me get better over time.

I batch my filming now, not because some guru told me to, but because I learned that's when I do my best work. I need time to get into flow, and switching between creating and other tasks completely kills that flow for me.

I write everything out first. I know some people can just turn on a camera and go, but that's not me. And instead of seeing that as a weakness, I'm getting better at writing scripts that still sound conversational.

I film multiple takes, but not because I'm trying to be perfect. I film until I get one that feels like me having a conversation, not me trying to nail a performance.

What I'm still learning: How to tell the difference between me showing up to help versus me trying to perform. Before I post anything now, I ask myself that question. If it feels like performing, I either rework it or don't post it.

The rhythm that's actually working for me right now is focusing on getting better at being myself on camera, not getting better at being someone else.

What does sustainable action look like for you? Because I'm realizing everyone's creative process is probably different.

How I'm Trying to Put It Together

Here's what I'm learning about how these three things work together:

Authentic: I'm trying to align who I am on camera with who I am off camera. Same values, same voice, same way of caring about people.

Attention: I'm aiming for recognition instead of entertainment. "They get me" instead of "that was fun to watch."

Action: I'm building a practice that helps me get better at being myself, not better at being someone else.

When I get the authentic part right, I seem to naturally attract people who actually want to hear what I have to say. When I have the right people paying attention, my actions feel purposeful instead of desperate.

I'm still figuring all this out. Some weeks I nail it, some weeks I feel like I'm back at square one. But I'm learning that the goal isn't to become a different person on camera. It's to become more myself.

Which of these three feels like your biggest challenge right now? I'm genuinely curious what you're working through because it helps me figure out what to focus on next.

If you want to see how I'm applying this stuff in real time, I share everything I'm learning about camera confidence and building visibility on my website. You can check out my free TRUST Lens Mini Course at chadreid.me