While everyone's busy performing "YouTuber," the real winners of 2025 are doing something radical: they're just being honest.

Wild concept, I know. But the numbers don’t lie.

The noteworthy and valuable content these days? It’s coming from creators showing up as themselves.

No cringe. No character. Just presence.

The problem? Hitting record does something weird to people.

It's like they had the Severance experiment, and it conjures a similar feeling to seeing a grown man turn to look at his ass in the mirror. It's awkward, uncomfortable, and dude, those pants are way too tight.

They say shame only exists in the shadows.

So let’s talk about:

1. Why You're Cringe (And Yes, You Probably Are)

Here’s the irony: the more you try to be liked, the less likeable you become.

When you start performing, you create a separation from your actual self. Cringe enters in two ways:

• You care way too much what people think. (If you can't get past this, YouTube isn’t for you. Sorry, I’m not a therapist.)

• You’re talking about things you shouldn’t. If you’re not an expert, don’t fake it. Simply share the experience of where you're at right now. If you are, own it. Either way, be HONEST for the love of God. There’s an audience for both the sage and the struggler.

2. Why It Matters (And Why Honesty Wins)

Look, I don't care if you're honest from a moral POV.

THIS IS STRATEGY.

And

It’s the only real moat left.

"Escape competition through authenticity. When you're being yourself, you cannot be competed with." – Naval Ravikant

The algorithm doesn’t just reward engagement.

It rewards truth.

Honest and raw people are Chris Hemsworth. Pretenders are... well... sorry Shane Gillis (love you).

Real emotion is magnetic. Forced enthusiasm? Ughhh, uncanny valley.

The Psychology:

Viewers are tired. Tired of fake smiles, shouty hooks, and 10-minute TED Talks about nothingness.

What they want is the REAL SH*T. THE SAUCE. (Preferably premium BBQ).

3. How to Not Be Cringe (The Framework)

Audit yourself. Ask:

• Am I sharing the truth? The whole picture?

• Would I say this to a friend?

• Am I performing energy I don’t feel?

• What truth am I avoiding?

• What am I pretending not to know?

The test: If you feel like you're doing YouTube, you're probably doing it wrong.

4. Examples of Anti-Cringe Creators

These creators are doing it right:

• Daniel Dalen – Building businesses. Not "how to." Come along.

• Life of Riza – I struggle with this. Oh, you too? Let's talk about it.

• Better Ideas – Value bombs wrapped in satire and existential dread.

• Ali Abdaal – I've seen & heard some stuff. Here's some stories. Watch if ya want.

• Creators going viral now:

  • Position themselves as the experiment, not the expert

  • Talk like they're texting a friend

  • Teach by showing, not lecturing

  • Share real routines, not optimized ones

  • Admit what they don’t know

  • Are accidentally funny, not try-hard funny

Your Next Move

Stop performing. Start being.

Your quirks? Competitive advantage.

Perfection? Commodity.

In a market full of try-hards, real is rare—and rare gets attention.

The brutal truth: Most creators are so afraid of being boring, they become unbearable. (Yah, read that again).

But the ones who stop performing and start being? They build cult audiences.

Study real creators doing this at Glazed Directory. Steal their honesty, not their aesthetic.

And darling, remember: your personality isn’t a liability. It’s your only sustainable moat.

AND THAT...

is hot :)