The Myth of Going Viral (And What Actually Builds a Career)

Everyone is chasing the elusive viral moment. That one post, that one video, that one piece of work that suddenly puts you on the map. Going viral has become the modern version of “making it,” especially in a digital world where attention feels like success. But you can’t create viral content. You can’t force it, no matter how much you study trends or try to reverse-engineer what worked for someone else. Going viral happens when something connects with the audience on a primal level, not something you can force into existence.

“Viral” Is Just Modern Word of Mouth

I can’t help but see how this mirrors with traditional cinema. When a film has “legs,” it’s not because it was designed to explode overnight. It’s because people connected with it, talked about it, and brought others along with them. That word-of-mouth is what gives a film longevity. In the digital age, that same idea exists, it just looks different. It shows up as engagement. That’s modern word-of-mouth. And just like in film, you don’t get it by looking at this imaginary finish line where everyone is fawning over your work, you get their by making good work.

The problem is that many filmmakers and creators put the cart before the horse. They try to make something “viral” instead of making something that is authentic, something that comes from somewhere deep inside them. You see it all the time, sometimes the work that you don’t put that much energy in, or something that is created on a whim ends up having success. A lot of those times its because it came from somewhere real. And audiences love that!

Authentic moments land heavier than trends.

Connection Over Attention

There’s a difference between grabbing attention and actually holding it. Viral moments can generate a million views, but they don’t necessarily build anything lasting. Think of some of your favorite viral videos? Ok, you got a couple in mind? Where is the person that created it now? I’ll wait..

Connection is what builds a career. It’s what makes people come back to your work. It’s what earns trust over time. It’s what turns a single piece of content into a body of work that people follow and care about.

When you create work where you lean into those raw human emotions, the ones where you leaned into the theme, trusted the story that lingers with viewers. That’s the work people remember. And that’s the work that gets shared, not because it was optimized to perform, but because it connected.

The Work That Lasts

If you want to build something that will last and actually move your career forward, you have to stop chasing the imaginary goal post and start focusing on the work. Make something that resonates. Make something that sticks. Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t to go viral. The goal is to create something people care enough about to share with others.