Stop Thinking Small and Manufacturing Excuses: Rise Above Mediocrity to Win
Congratulations, Aiden, the instructor of From Zero to Substack Hero, for becoming a Bestseller on Substack, gaining 99,000 subscribers in a short time. There are more success stories in this post.
Inspiration for Skeptical Creators and Freelancers Struggling on Medium.
Do not stop writing about your Substack experience — just because Medium does not distribute such stories does not mean they lack value. You can rise above mediocrity with an abundance mindset. Serendipity is real and will knock on your door daily so please learn to open it timely. 🌟
Dear friends, I wanted to share this story with you here as most of our community members write on Medium, and they struggle to get visibility for their stories when they use Substack in the content or CTAs. This is a known issue, so I want to give you valuable perspectives and inspire you to keep writing despite Medium’s poor treatment of writers shining on Substack. In the end, you will WIN 🌟
Over the past ten months, I have written many stories and four books related to Substack. I also created two publications called Magnetic Newsletter Pro and Substack Mastery Boost.
Some writers who tried to write for those publications feel discouraged, saying Medium no longer distributes any story with the word “Substack” in it.
Yes, that is true. It happened to me, too. None of my Substack-related stories or book chapters reached readers through Medium’s internal distribution. The only traffic came from direct shares in my circles.
For example, yesterday, I wrote an inspiring and transparent story about an initiative called the ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery Boost Pilot for Writers and Readers. Here is the link to the story:
The Joy of Starting 3000+ Freelance Writers with Substack in 3 Months & Gaining 133,000 Subscribers
Successful 1st Quarter Updates of ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery Boost Pilot for Writers and Readers of Wonderful…medium.com
Here are the stats of my new Substack-related story on Medium, which helped 3000 writers to start Substack, and see how much it earned on Medium yesterday:
It was published on ILLUMINATION, which now has 218,165 Followers. ILLUMINATION supports over 36,000 writers, so it’s no surprise that the system didn’t surface this important story for freelance writers. Medium likely sees Substack as a rival — which makes no business sense at all, especially when this kind of scarcity mindset only limits everyone’s potential and deprives interested readers.
And look at another shorter story I posted to just one of my Substack newsletters with fewer subscribers than my biggest one, without even crossposting it or promoting it in my networks yet:
Yes, one story earns $0.19 and another $470 from the same author in similar topics. The only difference is the different platforms. One suppresses the creators, and another empowers it.
Substack does not care what I write about as long as it is legal and delivers to my hard-earned audience. But Medium curators or the distribution algorithm censor my stories that they don’t like and do not distribute to my hard-earned audience. This is the most important thing creators need to be aware of when making platform decisions. They should not romanticise Medium but use it wisely.
While it took me 6 years of hard work to gain only 1000 subscribers on Medium, it only took 8 months to gain 133,000 subscribers with less effort and stress. While my income declined by 95% on Medium, it increased by 600% on Substack.
If you are failing Medium despite your efforts, it is not your fault. It is the new strategy of the platform that makes no sense to me.
Like thousands of established writers, I did everything I could, followed the curation process religiously, achieved many boosted stories, and promoted the platform religiously, bringing in thousands of new writers and readers. I still failed Medium.
But I don’t see it as a failure; it was a blessing in disguise to me. So I am grateful to the Medum curators and distribution team for putting me in the distribution jail as tough love.
But this does not mean sharing my stories on Medium is useless. Those direct shares did wonders. They brought me meaningful engagement, new readers, and steady growth.
So, Medium’s restrictions mean nothing to your success if you take charge.
In fact, the curators are shooting themselves in the foot by operating with a scarcity mentality. Substack is growing fast while Medium falls behind. Many of the best writers have already left or stopped offering premium content on Medium.
I personally know over 300 writers who became bestsellers on Substack. Medium did not value them. These brilliant creators never complained. They quietly moved to a better place — where their work is valued and their readers pay them generously.
Still, some of them occasionally publish on Medium. It remains a high-authority blogging platform. It also offers intangible benefits — especially for new writers trying to find their voice. So yes, Medium still has value.
But some frustrated writers now post calls to action saying, “Stop writing for Medium.” I kindly suggest: do not follow such advice. Listen to your heart. Share your stories even if they get no views. I do.
As I explained in an earlier story, book chapters rarely perform well on Medium. But I still invited hundreds of book authors to publish here. Why? Because Medium offers something else. For instance, it generously displays your books on your profile. That brings traffic to my landing pages and builds long-term trust. I explained it in his important story for book authors. This is a must-read story if you plan to write a book.
For Book Authors, Substack Is Vital Now, and Medium Could Be an Accelerator
No, print books are not dead! They are livelier than before.medium.com
We also need to talk about the bigger picture. Relying on a single platform like Medium is risky for any writer.
Medium is not your employer. It is just one tool. Writers who treat it as their only outlet risk losing their voice or visibility overnight.
Stop romanticizing Medium. It is not a movement. It is no longer a community. It is not your friend or mentor. It is just another business, a blogging site with shifting rules and no commitment to the long-term well-being of writers. Still, it remains a powerful tool — when we use it wisely and on our terms.
But those who build across platforms — by creating newsletters, using websites, connecting via search engines — gain true independence. They create resilience by design, not just by hope.
Aiden’s Poignant yet Inspiring Story
A few months ago, my protégé, Aiden, created a course on Udemy. He introduced it in a story. It got zero views.
He asked me: “Dr. Yildiz, my stories are getting zero views, even though I have 20,000 followers. I feel like I’m in distribution jail. Should I keep going? Can I share my course script titled From Zero to Substack Hero here?”
I understood his frustration. It touched my heart deeply.
I told him, “Yes, Aiden, please continue. Medium’s unfair treatment will backfire. Your long-term wins will be bigger than this temporary silence.”
I also shared something I rarely say out loud:
I know how it feels to put your soul into a story that gets no views. It is painful. But invisibility does not mean insignificance. Your work matters more than the metrics show. Stay consistent. Invisible work becomes visible when the time is right.
kept going.He started sharing his Udemy course scripts here and repurposed them for his website, other platforms, and my community blogs.
And then something amazing happened.
A major training company discovered his content through my website, for which I created an official page. They searched for his name. Google brought up links to Substack, Medium, and other trusted sites.
They reviewed his course on his Substack publication, contacted me as a referee for endorsement, loved what they saw, and introduced his training to their staff and clients, which can do 50 modules for just $5, which is a bargain for a corporate company. In a short time, Aiden gained thousands of Substack subscribers.
He became a bestseller — far exceeding the benefits of his past “Boost Nominator” role on Medium.com. He now earns much more from Substack as a writer, instructor, and media consultant than ever before.
By ending Aiden’s boost contract and placing him in distribution jail, Medium lost. They lost a talented writer, editor, publication owner, and curator who could have brought many new readers.
Meanwhile, Substack gained thousands of new readers through Aiden’s efforts, and one day, I know Aiden will bring millions of readers to them with his talent and hard work.
Aiden used to have a YouTube channel with over three million subscribers, but he had to close it due to health reasons, as he explained in a poignant story last year.
Gaming, Fun, and Humor: The Lifelines That Rescued Me From Social Media’s Grip on My Life
The hidden costs of chasing fame and neglecting my health and life’s precious moments
He now serves as a volunteer media coordinator for ILLUMINATION publications and supports our Substack Mastery Boost YouTube channel and help freelance writers to use YouTube smartly as a giveback activity to the community. Like me he believes that the more we give the more we receive and he proved it too.
How to Use the ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery YouTube Channel to Grow Your Audience - Dr Mehmet…
This tutorial shows you how to upload your videos to the ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery YouTube channel &practical tips…digitalmehmet.com
Aiden is a guest blogger on my website and posts daily. He became the top #3 blogger on our community blogs. Although I opened this opportunity to all our writers, only around 300 writers have gotten it so far and neglected 2 minutes of work, which could bring them many benefits, as I explained in the story before.
Aiden is now working on Level 4 of From Zero to Substack Hero
You can check out his previous courses on Udemy:
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 1
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 2
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 3 NEW
Aiden also collaborates with other YouTubers like Lawson Wallace and Mike Corazza, who faced significant life challenges but now thrive. I shared stories of both Mike and Lawson recently, which can give you valuable life lessons:
Hacked, Erased, and Devastated: The Heartbreaking Digital Theft Happened Today 😢
A 65-Year-Old Creator, Lawson Wallace, Lost His YouTube Channel, Bank Access, and Online Presence in Minutes — Why This…
A Heartfelt Near-Death Experience Case Study of a Friend from My Impressions
This is a poignant yet insightful story of Mike Corazza, who is now a writer, YouTuber, and wellness coach.
Lawson has created a new YouTube channel, which has already gained over a thousand subscribers. Earlier, Mike contacted me on Slack, saying that his new YouTube video went viral, so he will be able to monetize his channel soon and repurpose it on Substack.
Neither Lawson nor Mike earned more than $10 on Medium, like thousands of others who only earn cents and miss great opportunities beyond this platform as they are addicted to Medium’s vanity tools like claps, follows, and highlights, which means nothing in the big schema of things for freelance writers.
Let us not forget one more thing.
Even if Medium does not push your story, it still gives you a strong digital footprint. Its high domain authority helps your content rank on Google.
That means your work becomes easier to find — even years later. Over time, that builds credibility and trust, which no clap or curation badge can replace.
Age does not matter
Substack is not only for young blokes like Aiden. It is also for older people. My good old friend
(75+ years old) thanks to Aiden’s support and guidance from his wonderful Udemy courses became a bestseller on Substack.Mike completed all his courses and wrote about them before being a bestseller: I’m the First Student Completing Level 3 of From Zero to Substack Hero. He used to have only around 600 subscribers before undertaking Aiden’s Udemy courses and following the guidance in them.
Now, meet
! Check out the stamina of an 86-year-old psychotherapist’s journey, how she moved from Medium to Substack, and how she now thrives with a community.Insightful Conversations with Seasoned (Octogenarian) Psychotherapist Patricia Ross
If you need more inspiration from your fellow creators, check out
who became a Substack bestseller in a few months despite no success on Medium: Spotlight: I Spoke with Yana G. Y. to Inspire Freelance WritersCheck out
, who became a best seller in 3 months.Check out
despite having little kids became a Substack bestseller. She was shadowbanned by Medium like many others and me.Check out
whose stories once loved by millions on Medium now get hardly any views but he got 140K subscribers on Substack as another bestseller. Tim used to post at least a story a day but he did not post one in December for valid reasons I stopped writing for a few weeks.There are many more whom I will feature soon to inform and inspire you with their unique strategies and implementation plans.
For those who don’t know my Substack Work
Until June 2024, I was addicted to Medium, which turned out to be a blind spot in my creative journey. Suddenly, the harsh truth became evident. No platform can serve as a single source for any creator. I explained my realization in a story that resonated with many writers.
Why My Wise Mentors Advised Me 80% Substack, 15% NewsBreak, 5% Medium for My Writing Effort
I explain the insights and strategies behind my new content marketing approach based on data-driven observations and…medium.com
I resigned from the privilege boost program, closed my best publication, ILLUMINATION-Curated, stopped my Medium addiction, and focused on understanding Substack as an ethnographic researcher. I documented my findings in a book titled Substack Mastery, which became a bestseller, distributed to multiple platforms and read by over 100K freelance writers for free.
It took me six years to gain around 1,000 subscribers on Medium, but I reached over 133,000 on Substack in just eight months. I’m talking about real subscribers — not hollow follower counts, which are inflated or meaningless.
This contrast says a lot about the shifting landscape of content consumption. Not everyone’s chasing the $5 all-you-can-eat model. Millions of discerning readers out there are happy to pay a premium for content that truly adds value to their lives.
I’m sharing this quick background not to boast but to highlight what’s possible when we pour our heart and soul into our work with a true community spirit. Achieving something meaningful in life means making trade-offs; this story reflects that journey.
During this process, I established two networks to accelerate the program.
The first one is ILLUMINATION Health and Wellness, and the second one is ILLUMINATION Book Club for Authors and Readers.
I am pleased that over 100,000 people (outside of Medium and Substack) subscribed to these networks using my Substack account from my mailing lists and website.
By the way, I wrote a new book about the power of smart email marketing for freelancers and startups, which will be published in two weeks and will be available on my Content Marketing Strategy Insights for members.
Most of these new subscribers had never heard about Substack and were pleasantly surprised by the diversity, scope, vibrancy, and friendliness of the platform. This is my growth strategy for the Substack Mastery program: exposing it to new readers. I even wrote a book to educate avid readers for Substack, as they are the ones who will be paying for writers.
I am pleased that in March 2020, Illumination Health and Wellness Network became a best-selling Substack publication, thanks to the support of caring readers who found the service valuable.
Some writers only focus on other writers as a growth strategy on Substack, but it is not a sustainable approach, as the writing community is too small compared to the reading community. Unless you are an exceptional writer with compelling content about writing, not many writers will subscribe to your publications.
That’s why I wrote a short book to empower readers to find their favorite creators on Substack. Last month, over 50,000 avid readers joined Substack just thanks to distributing this new book to inform them via email. They have never head of Substack before so creating this awareness helped.
Why I Wrote a Short Book Specifically for Avid Readers?
Purpose of the new book “Substack for Avid Readers”medium.com
Another concern is that some writers write randomly without any strategy and understanding of the target audience, and they expect results. Naturally, they get disappointed and give up Substack, blaming the platforms, which does so much for creators.
After reviewing 500+ publications and extracting principles from my two books about Substack, I summarized 10 mistakes new writers can avoid:
10 Vital Mistakes I Found After Reviewing 500+ Substack Profiles
Why are they problems, and how can we rectify them?
You may also check out my strategy on Substack, which I shared transparently to give freelancers and startups customizable ideas.
How My 2 Publications Became Substack Bestsellers in 8 Months Without Even Aiming for It
I created two unique publications, each hitting the top 100 lists in two domains, and you can gain insights from my…medium.com
This story offers two timeless lessons.
First, the more you give, the more you receive.
Second: When one door closes, another opens.
Never lower your standards to fit mediocrity. Rise above it.
Share your story with courage.
Do not worry about vanity metrics like claps, followers, or highlights. These can be addictive, but they are not the real prize.
The real prize is the value you bring to others. Focus on that.
Solve real problems. Speak to your readers’ pain points.
They may not find you on Medium, but they will find you somewhere else in the digital world. Everything is connected.
Serendipity is real. When it knocks, open the door. ❤️🌟🌹
To grow with joy, you need to go out of your comfort zone and take calculated risks, as I explained in an award-winning story in a global leadership writing workshop years ago:
Here’s How You Can Enjoy Your Life More in Better Zones.
Why should you settle for mediocrity or stagnant business, which brings no value to your precious life? There are…medium.com
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
If you want to join this network and benefit from its education and marketing tools, here is your 20% discount
Health and well-being are very important to me and my readers. The brain, cognitive performance, and mental health are my research and interest areas. Therefore, I recently authored a book titled Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life and shared some sample chapters on this platform. You can find links to ten chapters through this introduction story:
Early Access to “Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life”
Why I wrote this comprehensive book and how readers can benefit from it to improve their cognitive performance and…medium.com
Many thanks to
who posted a review of my book on Substack Today 🙏❤️🌹🌟
Another health-related book I published recently is Cortisol Clarity, as chronic stress is the root cause of many physical and mental conditions.
Cortisol Clarity: Why I Wrote a Book About the Stress Hormone Published on 1 January 2025
Chronic stress is a causal factor for major health conditions like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type II…medium.com
If you are a writer on this platform, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 36K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. If you are a new writer, you might check out my writing list to find some helpful stories for your education.
I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter on Substack now. Over 133K+ readers subscribe to it, and I offer experience-based content on health, content strategy, and technology topics to inform and inspire them.
Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights
Dear Dr Yildiz, you wrote this story so beautifully and from the heart—it truly touched mine. Without your mentorship and support, it would’ve been impossible for me to find even this humble success.
You were the one who invited me to Medium. You trained me to become an editor and curator. You helped me establish two publications. You introduced me to Substack. You even gave me permission to use the content from your Substack Mastery book to build my Udemy courses—and then you went a step further by hosting and promoting them on your website.
And when I needed it most, your endorsement helped me land a big client.
No one has ever contributed to my growth and well-being as much as you have. I’m deeply, genuinely grateful for everything you’ve done for me and for every blessing you’ve brought into my life. Thank you, dear Dr Yildiz, with heartfelt gratitude for everything you did for me and countless other souls in your circles 🙏I enjoy being part of your joyful community and will continue to serve our members to the best of my ability.
This story reflects your authentic servant leadership. I honestly wish Medium had a CEO like you—or like Chris Best. Sadly, they've ruined what was once an incredible community through mediocrity and poor decisions. I still write here, but I’m deeply disappointed with Medium. They even put me in distribution jail.
It’s not about the money—I used to earn around $500 a month when I first joined, but now, despite having hundreds of stories, I barely make $12 monthly.
What changed? I cared about Medium. I upgraded to Friend of Medium (FoM), reported spam and scams, and stood up for truth. But once I started questioning the system, their curators stopped distributing my work. They even censored my Health and Science publication, driving away many scholarly scientists and medical doctors.
I don’t care much anymore, but I still post here for the wise reasons you mentioned.
Thank you for the kind mention—and huge congratulations to my good looking Aussie mate Aiden, who paved the way for me through his brilliant Udemy courses. I’ve completed them all and recommended them to countless others through his Substack which became a bestseller.
I am also a proud member of the ILLUMINATION Substack Mastery Boost Pilot. I and my adult kids will sponsor it next year to become fully platform-independent.