10 Creative Kicks-to-the-Head for Overworked YouTubers

Even the most active channels can struggle to find things to talk about. From YouTube's AlgoBros to the beautiful lunatics ready to burn it all down, idea generation is a chore.

My First Million’s Shaan Puri suggests using this ideation method: "First, Last, Best, Worst, Weirdest"—a framework originally conceived by Matthew Dix for inspiring new content and story ideas. Add a topic and go—something from your life: houses, jobs, dates…

The exercise cracked something open. As creators, creative kicks-to-the-head are necessary to yank our overworked brains out of routine.

So we’ve gone meta and created ten alternatives to help break you out of your creative feedback loop.

You could apply these to anything—switching careers, going vegan, taking up kickboxing, becoming a parent—but this is the content creator universe so jump on.

1. First, Next, Today, Past, Future

So you started a YouTube channel. How’s it going? Where’s it going?

• What was your first step into this new thing?
• What’s the next step you’re planning?
• What excites or challenges you about it today?
• What did you do in the past that you would do differently?
• What plans do you have for it in the future?

2. Why, What, Who, When, Where

YouTube creators come from all walks—what’s your story?

• Why did you start doing this?
• What have you learned or gained from it?
• Who inspired or helped you along the way?
• When did you realize it was important to you?
• Where do you think it will take you next?

3. Before, After, Now, Then, Huh

Did you come to content creation as naive as a newborn, or as a battle-hardened veteran?

• What did you know about content creation before you tried it?
• What did you learn after you started doing it regularly?
• Now that you’ve been doing it, what have you learned?
• What do you wish you’d known then that you know now?
• What’s a huh moment you had along the way?

4. Easiest, Hardest, Luckiest, Scariest, Funniest

Make explainer vids? Photograph strangers, or interview artists?

• What’s the easiest thing about what you do?
• The hardest challenge to overcome?
• What’s the luckiest thing that happened and how did it change things?
• What’s the scariest risk you’ve taken while doing this?
• The funniest thing that’s happened?

5. Idea, Stash, Plan, Script, Camera

All creators stumble through the same creative gauntlet—barely-controlled chaos. What’s your process? How do you…

• …capture ideas for your channel?
• …stash and tag your content and media files?
• …turn that mess into an episode plan?
• …pull together a camera-ready script?
• …bring it to life for the camera?

Productivity tools aren’t made for the creative process. But ShowShaper is—it’s an app actually made for planning and presenting user-generated content. Pre-launch deal on now.

6. Spark, Fuel, Gear, Race, Finish

Podcasters and YouTube creators do it for different reasons. The hustle’s universal.

• What was the spark that started it all?
• What fuels your engine?
• Was there a major gear change—momentum or mindset?
• Are you in race mode or enjoying the ride?
• What’s at the finish line? More road?

7. Wins, Fails, Hacks, Habits, Credo

UGC creators know the grind—and the coping skills. They have their own stories, tricks, habits, and white whales.

• What’s your biggest win?
• What’s your most memorable fail?
• What’s the smartest hack you’ve figured out?
• What habits keep you sane?
• What’s your personal or professional credo?

8. Everything, Nothing, Something, Anything, One Thing

On creative philosophy and making content—who you are as a creator…

• What means everything to you?
• What means nothing to you?
• If you could do something over, what would it be?
• If you could try anything, what would it be?
• What’s one thing others may not know about you?

9. Push, Pull, Shape, Sharpen, Shake

Idea to episode: A day in the life of a content creator:

• What idea was the push to create a video?
• What media did you pull in to help tell the story?
• How did you shape the episode script?
• How did you sharpen the episode's flow—keep it on point?
• How did you shake out the jitters and shoot it?

An app that gets the hustle? We made ShowShaper for creators. It’s a workspace purpose-built for making episodes.

10. S.O., Friends & Family, Boss, Stranger, Yourself

What’s your job title? Your label? How do you describe what you do to…

• … your S.O.?
• … your friends?
• … your boss?
• … a stranger?
• … yourself?