How to Succeed on Substack (This Really Works)

Reflections on writing, photography, and finding success on Substack in my own way.

This is one of those “How to succeed on Substack” stories — the kind I usually try to avoid in my feed.
Still, here I am writing one.
Maybe because I’ve discovered something important.
Or maybe just for fun.

We all know what traditional success looks like:
Lots of readers and subscribers.
Going viral.
People paying for your work.
Making money — a lot of it.

And yes, I still want that, even as I write these words.
But if that were all I wanted, this story wouldn’t exist.

There’s something I want more than that.
Something much better.

It’s not something you figure out with your head — it’s something you feel.
So come with me for a moment, and let’s try to feel it together.

I know you might be busy or distracted.
But just for a moment — look at this photo.
Not with your mind, but with your breath.
No pressure, no goal. Just feel it.
As if you were really there.

Now tell me —
Have you ever, while writing something you love (or doing something you care about),
felt a soft, warm feeling rising from inside?
Like your body relaxes and a quiet smile appears on your face?
Like… this is exactly where you’re meant to be?

That’s what I’m feeling right now.

It feels peaceful.
It feels right.
It has nothing to do with goals, numbers, or followers.
It comes from recognizing myself in what I write.

And in photography.

When I take photos — or when I sit down to look at them —
I feel a calm joy rising from inside.
It keeps me close to what matters,
even if I don’t always know exactly what that is.

Do you ever feel like you’ve arrived,
without knowing where you were going?

I get that same feeling when I connect with someone like you.
It’s not about ego.
It’s a quiet joy — two people on the same wavelength.

It feels warm. And real.
Like standing in front of a sunset.

And now, one last question:

Have you ever felt like you don’t know the answer,
but it slowly starts to rise —
just when you slow down,
like it’s coming from somewhere deeper,
maybe even something shared?

That’s where this story came from.

And to me —
that’s what success means.
Here on Substack. And everywhere else.

If any part of this feels familiar to you,
maybe your success is already here —
waiting to be noticed.
And felt.

I’ve found it in the things I love doing,
and in the few people I connect with again and again.

Thank you for being one of them.

I hope I’ll be wise enough not to lose it.

And no — I won’t ruin this story with stats and numbers.

You can find plenty of that elsewhere.

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Finally, I know that this piece may sound like a bit of a joke.
Sadly — a true one.
Because in the flood of “how-to” content, truth tends to sound like parody.

Thank you for being here.

Gear used:
All photos were taken with a Fujifilm X-H2 and 70–300mm f/4–5.6 lens, and a Fujifilm X-E4 with a 27mm f/2.8 lens.

A cup, though emptied, holds the infinite potential to be filled again—and you can fill it up, if you please. Thank you for your support. 💛

About the Author: I am a passionate photographer and a philosopher of both photography and life, a TEDx speaker, a Master of Molecular Biology, and a product manager. I curate two newsletters: Lens of Perception, where I explore the intersections of photography, philosophy, and gratitude for life and its beauty, and Thoughtful Corner, where I share ideas, reflections, and insights for curious minds. Thank you for taking the time to enjoy my work.