You hit the nail on the head with getting pigeon holed part, I think slowly expanding the depth of content is key, you lose some subs, you gain some subs, but in the end the people that want to be there for you will stick around, and you weed out the fair weather fans.

Man hearing that somebody my age is already retiring to experience what life has to offer really bummed me tf out knowing I have realistically another 50 years of “the grind” ahead of me

Really appreciate the discussion on this. I remember starting a channel and everyone's like "THATS NOT A JOB" and now yeah, every kid wants to be a content creator. I really feel for streamers, youtube vids can be evergreen but streaming is insanely full time. Gotta do what makes you happiest or you'll just burn out ey.

I think an overlooked factor is that those people usually have a lot of money. So you constantly have the temptation to quit. Because you can. That makes it harder to keep grinding than if you didn't have the option. Anyone who has ever worked from home knows how hard it is to work sometimes when you know you can just take a nap instead...

I'm honestly happy for Pewdiepie that he's in peace now and spending time with his family. Bro deserved it

"Why are online content creators quitting at such a young age?" The simple answer is that they can afford to. They have made much more money than an average 9-to-5 worker will have made by their young age and thus, they basically have the freedom to retire - or "quit" - early.

I personally think another reason for burnout is the fact that since its not like a regular job , you don't ever really feel like your done work for the day. You record, edit, stream and when your not doing those you constantly plotting the next video in your head or on social media building your presence. Its just a job that doesn't have an end time.

If you get trapped in other people's desires, you'll never find yours. Do what you love, and you'll be followed by others who love the same things

As long as Charlie isn't part of the list we're golden

this is something that seems “taboo” to talk about, and appreciate you for doing it. keep it new and exciting, because no matter what you do for work if you feel forced, you won’t enjoy it.

This feels even more true after Matpat announced his retirement.

I think the social aspect of it would make it feel like such a grind to me. Most jobs require you to interact with other people face-to-face on a daily, or at least weekly basis. Online content creation can (doesn't have to) be done on your own. Just sitting in your home office with your pc all week working alone isn't for most people I think.

I am actually surprised that you are able to stream daily and create videos everyday, and those videos seem like they take their sweet time to prepare when it comes to research. Mad respect Charlie

hearing Charlie say he won't ever stop making content because it's what makes him happiest is so sweet

streamer getting paid hundreds/thousands per hour: “it’s draining” 😂😂😂

It's always dangerous to turn your hobby into your work. As a hobby you do it as much as you want but you can let it go whenever you want, when you don't feel like it for the moment or so. As a job you are obligated to do it even when it doesn't feel right and that can quickly take the fun out of it.

I remember when Texan in Tokyo closed down her channel, with her husband; because they had chosen to have a child and wanted to just live their life and not raise their child in front of an audience, when the child could not give consent to be onscreen. It was so respectful and deeply thought out, and I cried. I had watched them for years, and it was beautiful seeing them leave for such a positive reason. I'm glad that others have made the decision to not live in a spotlight forever. It's such an extreme lifestyle, especially for people that started when they were kids and grew up to be celebrities. It's kind of like TV child stars but more intrusive. It is good to have them decide to examine other parts of their life.

Felix took a leap of faith when he was young and against all odds he's now enjoying the fruits of his labour. Nothing but respect

It's now matpat and Tom Scott and lots more

I'm just Happy for Pewds that he's happy and content where he's at, and also still shares his life with us with Vlogs. Sure we miss him playing games but I totally understand him being drained or "sick" of games after years of doing the same thing.

I have watched all these creators and respect the big changes for them. I would have stopped making videos if not for my community that I have build. I feel like it's 50/50 with my subscribers and it's been fun to make fun meme content with them. People say "do whatever you want" and yes that's true, you should do what makes you happiest but also keep the audience in mind as well. I never hated my "job", sure editing sucks from time to time and is tedious but the main factor that I get rewarded from is keep doing the same shit that my community enjoys. I have never got burnt out from making the same content. I hope that Tfue, PewDiePie, and all content creators choose the best situation that makes them the most happiest

Making different content is impossible, I've been making MC videos since I was 16, I recently made one video on how my channel got hacked and had to take a break, I instantly lost 20k Subscribers In just 2 months. I'm never going to have the opportunity to branch out without taking a major hit. luckily, I still enjoy my job and I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity, I don't plan on quitting.

Matpat...

I think the difference between being a content creator and a 9 to 5 working person is that, When you are a successful content creator for a while you have a lot of money and you can have the freedom to say "I have enough to live for the rest of my life and i've done everything i wanted to do here so i'm going to retire soon" while when you work a regular job and not willing to build your own carrier, you are also affected by burn out but you have no choice but to keep going to survive and provide for your familly and occasionally go on vacation to disconnect etc... Both carrier path forces you to be here all the time no matter what but we can't deny that being a content creator, objectively comes with more benefits if you are succesfu than a 9 to 5 would. In a regular job you also do the same stuff over and over and over again most of the time.

I do sympathise in a way because, experiencing burnout ain't fun, but I sympathise more with countless other ordinary workers trying to put food on the table of their loved ones, and with no option to take a break...

As a construction worker who spends everyday all day outside in the pissing rain, baking sun, snow and ice, doing back breaking work, I appreciate you understanding and acknowledging that it is harder that being a youtuber. My ex would complain about me making 2x her pay as a cashier bc "her feet hurt too, its not fair". Some jobs are more demanding than others. I can sympathize but don't pretend like all jobs are just as painfully demanding.

Tom Scott and Matpat have just entered retirement 😢

MatPat from game theory quitting and moo from the vanoss crew quitting too. Bruh it’s so sad my childhood guy are quitting but need to remember that they also growing up too 😔😩😭

I only make vids when I want to and try my best to not care about how well i'm performing, with respect to the volume i'm producing. i still hate editing and probably always will, but i love all the other parts and it's awesome to get to do whatever I want every day and just make vids of it

Great perspective thanks for the video legend

you deserve everything charlie. even if you cut down on streaming, people will still show up consistently.

Time to add matpat to that list

It's a lot easier to step away when you're already successful and rich. Not in a cynical way, but for a lot of people they just want to be their own bosses and online creation allows us to do that. All I ever wanted was to have a stake in my job, when I try or succeed I get a cut of that. I don't get that in my 9/5 job. Charlie touches on these points which I appreciate. Money runs the world, it's hard to avoid that.

I respect when people know that they're not as happy anymore and are fortunate enough to be able to make a change. Life is too short too force yourself to grind everyday if you're not enjoying it and are lucky enough to be in a position where you don't HAVE to

I can def relate. Im a chef i started cooking cause i love cooking for others. The idea of taking these objects of nature transforming it with your hands and then people ingesting it and what you made actually becoming a part of then and sustaining their life. Theres something incredibly satisfying about it but at the same time i have to work often 50-60 hours a week, miss every holiday and family function and now being 40 years old physically it is now taking its toll. Its all subjective doesnt matter if youre doing what you love doing the same thing over and over again will takes its toll and you will have the epiphany that you just might be waisting your life and should do other things.

One important thing that I don't think was quite covered here: Most people can't do this. Ever. Not for their entire lives. They can't just one day go "Welp, that's it, I'm gonna go have fun now." They will be working until they die at their desk, or at their line, or holding a broom at McDonald's, because it is outright impossible to otherwise be able to afford to live.

Im a doctor, but as a child i remember when i was asked what i wanted to be id say cartoonist. Over the time, as i grew older that dream became apparently almost impossible as i live in a third world country and it turned into being an animator and then an architect. I still feared going towards something artistic so i endednup following my friends into med school. That said, there are a few times ive tried to push into content creation as it's something ive wanted forever, but each time id get overwhelmed by the grind it is to do so. Its probably worse than the grind to be a doctor lol. So i really respect youtubers who consistently upload content, its no easy feat at all and i can see why people just decide to leave.

I like how charlie recognizes how privileged streamers are to be in their position. He seems like a genuinely cool guy

Now you could add mat pat.

Thank you for keeping it real. Creators deserve some breaks and also have time to discover outside of their repertoire of content.

I can imagine that having such an online presence can really take a toll on someone and their mental health, good for anyone taking a break, or even leaving. Whatever makes them happiest.

I kept doing board repair videos after I no longer found it fun or interesting because the audience said they wanted them. It got old to keep doing the same thing. What I found out by accident is that nobody was actually here for board repair, they were here for the rants along the way _while_ I was fixing the board. It was a relief to realize I didn't have to go over the same circuit for the 738th time to keep the audience happy. I don't hate repair. Just going over the same video format for the 900th time. I don't find it fun. The ability to get people to care about a fixable, freer world has been the opportunity of a lifetime. Even if I fail, it'll be a pride point for the rest of my life, and having an audience that's empowered me to make a small dent in my corner of the world will be something I can smile about with appreciation for them from now until the day I die. I can't imagine what it's like for people who make content they hate just because they feel like they need to to make money. The best alignment is when you do what you are good at, do what you enjoy, and can make money doing it - but I realize much of the population isn't so lucky.

I’m not sure how the pigeon holding argument is different than any other profession. You can’t decide to just switch without similar friction either coming to the other profession (are your skills relevant, do you have experience) or going back to it (are you up to date, when was your last recent experience). Companies much like audiences expect consistency, the quid pro, linear progression. The unpaid leave, loss of income is a fair point. Most jobs don’t reduce your pay if you take time off though for hourly employees they can reduce or eliminate your hours so even that argument is weak. At the end of the day all jobs are rigid.

I loved my IT job for 10 years but now I really love being outside and around people. An older friend of mine told me it's a thing for some IT workers, they go more towards people as they get older and away from technology.

Charlie is the Internet Wizard, well-versed in the internet, broadening his content horizons and enjoyment potential. Thank you Internet Wizard.

If you’re able to financially walk away at age 25, it’s 100% still a dream job.

It’s sooooo absolutely awesome that Charlie doesn’t ever see himself leaving. He’s make his channel and gotten his fans from sticking to, doing what he wants to do” instead of sticking to, the same thing that he started doing”

one of the reason is the company polecies and algorythm they take out subs and visibility to force u be active

Nobody wants to work forever. These guys are lucky enough that they can retire extremely early. I don't think anybody expects any of their favorite creators to keep making content for their entire lives. Content creation is a dream job, but it's a job nonetheless.

I've grown up watching people like pewdiepie, markiplier and jacksepticeye and i'm glad for them and where they are in their lives. They've entertained us for longer than we've realised and I think it's time for them to give themselves a break. They are humans too after all.

Man i get it to a stance its draining , but at the same point it pays off vs working i 9-5 thats a mental stress aswell than coming home wondering how you gonna feed your kids or pay your car note ...imagine that stress vs working on stream hating it and then getting in your lambo and going to some of the finest places and restaurants

Sad to hear such legendary youtubers to leave, but the portal is left open for new youtubers

10:35 he sounds SO genuine here, love to hear this bro

one of the reasons why i like watching charlie is because his contents revolves around things that actually makes him happy. it must be hella stressful to go out of your character and create a persona and contents around that persona just to please people.

KZfaqr used to be my dream job but as I grew into my late teens I realized that being a KZfaqr isn’t all it’s made up to be. The constant grind to churn out new videos to keep your fanbase hooked, the hate you get for just existing on the platform, the stress of trying to make a livable income on a view based platform where the algorithm could just completely screw you over, and of course coming to the realization that you spend a huge part of your life sitting behind a screen editing videos and that realization must be heart breaking. So instead of KZfaqr I’m currently in college to become a history teacher!

That’s so sweet to hear that streaming and KZfaq is what makes Charlie happy. He’s such a good guy from what we’ve seen; it’s nice to know this isn’t a prison for him.

2:21 kudos to Charlie giving a shoutout to unknown KZfaqrs like Pewdiepie

I’ve never understood people why people seriously take time off their day to unsubscribe to someone just bc they’re not streaming every day it’s bullshit and those people are weirdos

It's a pain in the ass. I had a channel with thousands of subs and it got a few copyright strikes for using a Final Fantasy song in the background. It's so much work to keep up with content and starting from scratch was a nightmare.

I think a major element in this is the style of gamer you are. If people only watch you for high end gameplay it would become exhausting trying to keep that up in every single game you play. However if people just watch you for for personality like Jev (not saying he isn’t good) it’s a lot easier to branch out to different games and even genres because they just want to see you.

It seems that Charlie doesn’t get tired of this because he’s genuinely just doing whatever he wants to do. There’s so many different types of videos on this channel. Feels more like he’s doing what he wants and putting a camera in front of it so others can see, rather than doing things for the camera. Bet he’d still be doing a lot of this stuff and talking about these topics with his friends even if a camera wasn’t rolling

My prostate almost exploded thinking Charlie was considering stepping away. So glad he’s put those concerns to rest.

creators, especially younger ones often get roped into content they never deeply and honestly passionate about to begin with, but suddenly went viral way too quickly over something and didnt have time to experiment first with what actually makes them happy. way too often the happiness temporarily comes from all the subs and attention from going viral even if its content they dont truly care about & the attention keeps them falsely happy and floating for a little keeping the brain satisficed like a temporary drug high. but thats always going to be temporary for everybody. and some ppl never truly like making those steps of content creation to begin with and find creativity exhausting. Its simple but sometimes difficult for ppl to just be who they want to be. they feel locked but need to stop letting numbers dictate there lives. there is a point where u have enough money, and a point where numbers and subs no longer add true value to your life. it comes with wisdom understanding how to separate all these things for each and every person. ppl like charlie started with strong roots and a foundation by doing this all for himself since the begining and it shows as time goes by how much wisdom he has. he reminds me more and more of a wizard lol or a jesus (meme) when it comes to wisdom

I think pewdiepie still love making content, he just wants to do it for fun instead of having the obligations to do so. He always loved making videos for us, he is just going back to doing it for fun instead of for the sake of “the grind”

My assumption is that creators are feeling burnt out due to the lack of rigidity that comes with 9-5 jobs. Having to stress over what content viewers will enjoy and being solely responsible for their success. There are no safety nets either as a content creator so I can understand why so many creators might get burnt out from stress.

Time to add captain sparkles and matpat and Tom Scott

If you’re making that level of money and want to be done it’s the same as retiring

I love this about Charlie. Even if he doesn’t feel the way they do, he still understands why they feel that way, and does not invalidate their pain and or suffering. This is why we need more clones of him lol.

It's the sense of burnout combined with being the boss of your own, realising that the moment you slow down, take a break or stop being entertaining enough is the moment you might lose everything is taxing on people, and this can also apply to many other jobs out there

Really great discussion here for all creator's

Those guys who work in coal mines breathing toxic dust know exactly how these KZfaqrs feel. ✊

I think its also worth talking about the extreme guilt we have when not working, being a creator, there is no "clocking out" theres always something you COULD be doing to be farther along. It makes you feel like youre always fighting an uphill battle and find it hard to disconnect and relax

"It doesn't nullify his feelings on it" I feel like this kind of thing doesn't get said enough. Just because you envy someone and think they have it "good" in no way means THEY aren't allowed to be unhappy and want something else.

5:21 - Comparable to a commission based career. Bring results or get your pockets hit.

When Charlie was speaking about losing 8k subs after 4 days is mind blowing. I’m still subbed to people I literally haven’t watched in almost a decade.

I went from working 10 hours a day in a kitchen to 12-14 hours a day on KZfaq. Very different work, both very fulfilling for me. Have to have a reason why you pursue your daily work to not burn out.

"Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life" but when you're forced to do something you love everyday, it starts to become work

As someone that lives both worlds of a content creator and actually having a real life job. I agree. me doing all this extra content/music, definitely has it moments, the promotion aspects, and the timing that comes with it is can get overwhelming eventually, but it’s still 100% more easier than a 9-5 job.

It really is a grind at times, i am seeing it with my channel as well. Even though I love the topics, there are just some days when content creation is indeed a bit of a burden. That said, these guys were huge so I am sure if they want to come back they will be more than welcome and people will be around to watch them.

Huge KZfaqrs are quitting but amidst all of this, Anthony and Ian finally bought back Smosh

It’s actually crazy I have been watching you since high school and I’m about to turn 29 years old. Not many people can keep others entertained for that long

i can imagine it being brutal. it's playing 6-8 hours on camera with people watching every move and analyzing everything you say. Not to mention having to constantly engage with your audience. i would still like to give it a try even though i think i wouldn't pull many viewers lol.

Hey man I played Town of Salem almost every day for 5 years straight. Right before I stopped I remember thinking to myself “I could see myself doing this for many more years to come” and then only *4 weeks* later I was done completely. I realized that the game made me more anxious than happy so I moved on and never looked back. My point is you never truly know when you’re going to wake up one day and realize you want change. If you ever have this change I’ll respect it completely

Sticking to one single type of content creation is like setting your favorite song as an alarm clock for work

Even if folks feel some type of way, or consider this a dream job, these people are still individuals that struggle and deserve to switch lanes just as much as anyone else does. Also, I get that creators are “lucky” I guess, I wouldn’t say that, y’all are allowed to share your experiences, fears and struggles.

You’re such a refreshing voice of reason and understanding on this platform Charlie, thank you for doing what you love!

I think Charlie is blessed in this “burnout” department because when it comes to him we all expect and enjoy random things he does. He has KZfaq Persona status where we come here for him not necessarily always what he’s doing but we know whatever it is he’s doing or talking about is gonna be a good time or interesting. Creators who’ve built their audience off one niche for extended periods of time, people expect that, if you sub for gaming tips or a certain game they play. I’d say for creators that don’t wanna be bored start your narrative early that you play what you wanna play and enjoy and if you’re entertaining enough they won’t care what you’re doing.

This is why I respect Ludwig's decision to give himself a time limit. I believe he said he's got 5 more years in him, then he's gonna hang up the hat and live his life. If he actually will is yet to be seen of course, but I think giving yourself a goal like that is a pretty healthy mindset for a creator to have.

It’s a very common thing for a lot of people to pick something up they really like and they end up burning themselves out by doing it so much to the point it takes out the enjoyment of doing it

I worked heavy construction all my life and also played shows weekends. Always felt like one hour performing was more exhausting than a 12 hour day of construction!

I've wanted to be a Minecraft KZfaqr since Minecraft basically came out. For years I worked 9-5s and wasn't able to pursue my passion. Fast-forward to my 30s and I'm trying to play catch up. I have issues because now I'm in the content sphere, I want to do more. More games, more topics, more everything, but I have given so much of my life to Minecraft I feel I can't escape. Even the past 3 years of me actually making content I still feel I want more. Transitioning into variety content I feel is necessary for me to pursue my life long passion of entertainment, but it is such a daunting task. As you said, I feel it is detrimental to longevity. This video helped me out a bunch ty for it.

It's kinda heartbreaking to see your childhood icons go away... And then there's Smosh

Everything has to come to an end st some point. It's just not enough out there

They usually come back when they need that check

That’s why I really like markiplier because he still enjoys doing videos, but has cultivated a base who will support his leaves from posting because he’s doing other projects like movies, podcasts, merch etc

I remember hearing something about how famous director Martin Scorsese applied the philosophy of "One for them, one for me" throughout his career. Where basically for every 'crowd pleaser' movie he made, he would make a project that appealed more to him, where he could really get wild and weird with it. Could be a good approach to YT as well

I tried the youtube route a few times doing a few different things like gaming and cooking/bbqing but I guess I just didn't have the charisma for it

I'm glad homeboy is figuring out what he wants to do in the world to find fulfillment and actualization, I hope he finds what he's looking for. I always say do what you love, and then find out how that interfaces with the world, it could be different and better than what you initially considered, your greatest talents will be a consequence of what you're devoted to

the fact that charlie uploads and streams everyday and can do all this stuff like godslap, his esport team etc and still has time to enjoy his life to the fullest is really impressive to me, and the fact hes done content creation for over 10 years as well

This gave me a lot of insight on the reality of being a streamer/internet personality. As someone who works a vigorous “9 to 5” full time I always thought “man it would be so nice to work for myself”. But as a part-time freelance artist, anytime I have more than a few commissions in my queue, I get overwhelmed (probably bc I also work full time) but you gotta start somewhere. I just don’t know what my future holds.