This is episode 1 of an ongoing series where I document the journey of building a YouTube channel from scratch while working a full time job, raising a kid, staying in recovery, and figuring out what I want to say.
If you’ve ever searched for advice on growing a YouTube channel, you’ve probably found the same thing: polished videos from people with hundreds of thousands of subscribers telling you what worked for them after they made it. That’s not what this is:
Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Soundcloud
Building a YouTube Channel From Scratch — Where I’m Starting From
As of March 2026, the channel sits at 580 subscribers and averages about 30 views per video. My best performing video has 113 views.
The channel lives at the intersection of two of my obsessions: mindfulness, non-duality, and self-inquiry on one side, and MMORPG gaming on the other. The challenge has been figuring out how to make those two worlds coexist on one channel without confusing the algorithm or the audience.
Burning Out After Month One
I came out of the gate hard. Two full YouTube videos a week, daily Shorts across every platform, and late night streams three times a week after everyone in my house went to sleep. I burned out in about a month, which I saw coming. Overdoing it, and then completely dropping off, is a pattern I know well.
I hit the wall right after my “Self Inquiry for Dummies” series. I wasn’t having fun anymore, the schedule felt like a cage, and the videos weren’t doing much. So I changed the format entirely.
That decision turned out to be one of the best things I did. Hitting the wall forced a reset, and what came out the other side felt much closer to what this channel is actually supposed to be.
Whats Changed
I started streaming instead of just recording. Playing games live while talking about philosophy, awareness, and whatever was on my mind. I brought in my friend Reed, a “philosbro” who thinks deeply about meditative awareness, and we started having real conversations while playing Guild Wars 2 in the background. A comment on one of those videos said “legendary pull — I’m into Guild Wars 2 AND self development, thank you algorithm.” That one comment told me everything I needed to know.
I also had my first TikTok video go semi-viral. A short clip about a book called The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power hit 38,000 views and still gets comments daily. I still don’t know why that one landed, but it confirmed the instinct: just keep making things and publishing them. Something will connect.
What I’m Still Figuring Out (Building a YouTube Channel from Scratch)
I’m still learning how to make thumbnails and titles that people actually click. I’m experimenting with AI tools for SEO and descriptions, but pulling back when it starts to feel inauthentic. I tried late night streaming and discovered I just don’t have the energy for it after a full day. That’s been a hard, but it’s an important thing to accept.
The biggest lesson so far isn’t a tactic. It’s this: you have to know your limits, be honest about what’s working, and keep showing up anyway. Not because some YouTube guru told you to be consistent, but because you actually care about what you’re making.
I’ll be posting one of these every month.
If you’re building something too, drop a comment or reach out. My DMs are always open.
Thanks for being here!
🎮 Games covered on the channel: World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Everquest, Dark Age of Camelot and more
🧘 Topics: Non-duality, self-inquiry, mindfulness, philosophy, awareness
📌 Inspired by @Renfail “How to Make a Living as a Content Creator and Streamer” series — shoutout to Ren: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZZ6iXOxUbMeW3iCeGAzrSIERHTbspC7d&si=11l2cpUEaVnU49MZ
Shouts out to @FacelessZaide and his Dramaquest Series: https://youtu.be/Q8J-MEWWj80?si=uBPBvo64ICWfsT3y
Join the conversation on Discord here: https://discord.gg/6fcu9PSdRJ
To receive new posts directly to your inbox, subscribe/follow our website here: www.InsideTheMindsEye.com
Building a YouTube Channel From Scratch