Maybe it’s time we stop the hypocrisy on Substack.

Most people here would love to reach the point where they can live comfortably just from writing.

Is that a bad thing? Of course not. Ambition is natural.

The uncomfortable part is the math.

The percentage of writers who will actually make a living from it is tiny. Probably below 1%.

And once you depend on paid subscribers, whether you like it or not, you start adjusting your writing to keep them and grow them. It’s subtle, but it changes things.

It shapes tone. It trims edges. It makes certain thoughts… less convenient to write.

Personally, I’m lucky I don’t have that ambition.

Lucky for two reasons.

First, I’ll never be disappointed. Second, I’ll never have to put my writing into a mold just to make it more pleasant to read.

Dream big, by all means. Big dreams can give you wings.

But sometimes they can burn you like Icarus.

Good luck.