How the Internet Is Lying to You About Success

Maybe you don’t even realize how successful you already are.

I'm so tired of seeing those posts everywhere. You know the ones I'm talking about. "How I Got 10K Followers in 10 Days!" or "I Made $50K on Substack in 2 Months!" And there I am, sitting with my modest little audience, feeling like a complete loser because my growth is so slow.

But here's the thing that hit me the other day while I was spiraling into another comparison session: we've all been completely brainwashed about what success actually looks like.

The internet has turned us into success junkies, constantly chasing the next big breakthrough, the viral moment, the overnight explosion. And when it doesn't happen – which usually doesn't – we think we're failing.

But that's not what success is.

Success is showing up to write when you have 10 subscribers.

Success is getting that one email from someone saying your post helped them.

Success is still being here next year, and the year after that, slowly building something real.

Success is learning from the project that completely flopped instead of giving up entirely.

Success is having enough steady work that you're not constantly panicking about next month's rent.

Success is getting better at your craft every single day.

Success is building genuine relationships with people who actually trust what you have to say.

Success is not having to fake it or pretend to be someone you're not to get attention.

Success is sleeping well because you’re not building your business on sand.

Success is being able to say no to opportunities that don't align with who you are.

Success is coming back after a break and picking up where you left off.

Success is feeling excited about your work instead of constantly stressed about the metrics.

Success is hitting publish when your inner critic is screaming.

Success is when you're proud to show your work to your kid, your partner, or your younger self.

Success is knowing that your journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's journey.

Success is being remembered long after you’ve left the platform.

Success is building something so solid that you're not constantly worried about someone else taking your place.

Success is trusting yourself enough to try your own way.

Honestly? Real success is kind of boring. It’s slow. It’s unglamorous. It happens behind the scenes, when no one’s watching.

And in the past two years, I couldn’t fully see that because I was too devastated by the fact that I wasn’t going viral.
I thought I was doing something wrong.
That I wasn’t good enough.
That maybe I just didn’t have it.

But now I know better. I’m not behind. My growth might be slow, but it’s mine.
It’s rooted. It’s honest. It’s the kind of growth that doesn’t evaporate the moment the algorithm changes.

So if you’re still here, still creating, still dreaming—that’s not failure.
That’s proof.

Slow success is still success.
And it lasts.

Warmly,
Andi