Passion Lost, Passion Found: Reviewer Burnout and Rekindling the Fire

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Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I hope everyone is doing fantastic today. I am doing quite well. I have just been quite busy lately. Life is good though. I can't complain. Being busy means you are making progress.

Today I wanted to cover a topic that a lot of reviewers feel. The cycle of passion and burnout. Why doe sit happen and how can we overcome it? This article is aimed mostly at reviewers, but I guess some of my points can extend to all fragrance collectors as well.

I hope you enjoy it! Let's get into it!


Passion Lost, Passion Found

It's no secret that collecting fragrances requires passion and drive...and maybe a bit of insanity to collect something that will never be used in its entirety. We start out wanting to explore everything. Everything smells good and everything is great! Then, after a period of time, we start to get bored with the same stuff. Companies that release the same thing over and over, with only a slight twist to another fragrances DNA become mundane and no longer inspire us.

Maybe you are a reviewer and watched a bunch of YouTube videos and said, "Hey, I can do that". Then you tried your hand at it and didn't have the overnight success that you dreamed of. Your name isn't in the spotlight and your videos are only getting 100 views. What a bummer!

The secret to success in this world isn't reliant on consistency, like many would believe. Shelling out videos that seemed rush may favor the YouTube algorithms, but they don't favor viewers. They might bring in their views, but if that is what you seek, then go for it. There is a lot of buzz in the fragrance community about quality content. Some seek to be entertained, while others want in-depth reviews. Both sides of the schism work, but you have to decide which side to cater to.

It ultimately comes down to numbers. Do you care about views or do you care more about quality content? There is no perfect science to it. I am not saying reviewers who produce videos every day are producing low-quality content. However, if you spent a bit more time on that video or article, then could it be better? If the answer is yes, then maybe you should.

Posting reviews every day is a surefire way to lead yourself into burnout. I know. I did it myself when I first started. After that, I realized that it's better to plan an article out and make it the way you want it instead of rushing it.

At the end of the day, it's ultimately about you and what you find your passion in. The numbers will come if you do your thing. Don't try and copy your favorite YouTuber. Be your own man/woman. Blaze your own trail. The best way to lose passion is to lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the popularity contest.

If you are not happy with your work, then how do you expect your viewers or readers to be? That is the heart of the issue. Your own gratification leads you into gratification for your viewers. People can tell when you don't really care about what you are talking about. People can discern passion for "I had to do this".

Your name may not be in the spotlight. You may never be mentioned among people's favorite reviewers in a random Facebook group. However, if you do your thing and do it with purpose, there will be people who appreciate you. Even if they never comment on your videos or articles. There is always someone watching you, even if you don't think they are. It's so much better to have 10 people who believe in you than 10k who are there because you do giveaways or hype stuff.

So, my point in all of this is to do what you enjoy. Don't do stuff because everyone else is. Do stuff because you care about it. Do things with a purpose.

Most of the popular reviewers have been at this for years. Their success didn't happen overnight. It took them many years to get where they are. They have produced hundreds of videos and spent thousands on fragrances. Most new reviewers quit within 6 months because they don't see success. If you are looking for fast success and that is all that matters to you, then you probably shouldn't invest your time in this. It takes companies and reviewers years of trust and business to build up a following.

It is no secret that the market for reviewers is flooded right now. I see 3-4 new ones each month. I have never seen some of these folks ever comment on a post on Facebook. They often start off with hyped stuff that people have already seen a hundred times. That is a good way to make yourself be labeled as just another hype beast at the start. No one wants to hear about Sauvage, Ultra Male, Eros, and Aventus. We all have smelled them and we don't care anymore. We want different and innovative reviews.

I am not saying you have to begin with some unique and obscure niche, but something that not everyone is talking about is a good start. yes, people talk about those fragrances a lot, but people don't want to see any more reviews on them. Knowing what your target audience wants goes a long way.

You have to have thick skin to do this. It's not easy. As I stated before, it takes years to get traction and most quit within 6 months. Criticism will come, in constructive and destructive forms, however, it's how you handle that stuff that helps you stay on the right track. At the end of the day, people love drama. It's the sad reality of the modern internet age. If you want to be taken seriously, then I advise you to stay away from that. I have bought into some of it myself, but I am trying my best to only worry about myself now. I know this article isn't about myself, but it's some stuff I have learned in around a year and a half of reviewing.

I may not have a ton of followers or views, but I think I have successfully painted myself as a reviewer who isn't afraid to tackle tough topics and include the human side of fragrances. My style isn't for everyone, but I am honored that people look to me for advice. I don't care about numbers and subs. I have less than 100 followers, but I don't care. I would rather have that many who actually support what I do than a ton of ones who do not. I want passionate followers. People who care about more than projection and compliments. I want people who care about perfumery, even if it's generic. I want followers who want to be inspired and see through the facade of hype and want to picture perfumery as a form of imagery that gets them excited. I want followers who think like me.

That is how I keep myself from burning out. Knowing those types of people exist. I am excited about those types of people finding my content and sharing their thoughts with me. That part keeps me going. It keeps me striving to be a more complete reviewer every day. My content is far from amazing, but I am happy with it. Even when I make a grammatical error. I am only human and I am not trying to be perfect.

I hope everyone enjoyed this article. Remember, passion fuels success. the metric of success varies per person. Embrace kindness, honesty, and try to uplift as many people as you can. You never know who might need it. Someone is always watching you. Use your platform wisely. Much love to all of you who support me. Much love to the ones who challenge me and criticize me. You have helped me build a thicker skin. Be blessed, everyone!

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