Documenting Your Journey: The Key to Building Social Proof & Authority (Part 1/9)

If you’ve ever struggled with what to post on Instagram, felt lost about how to tell your story, or worried that no one is engaging with your content, you’re not alone. I was in the same boat just six months ago—low views, no engagement, and zero direction. But after tweaking a few key things, my videos started hitting 10K, 100K, even 500K views. My inbox was flooded with messages from influencers and followers telling me how my content resonated with them.

Now, I’ve cracked the code on how to document your journey in a way that actually attracts people, makes them engage, and builds you a personal brand.

This blog will walk you through exactly how to share your story on Instagram in a way that works. No more rambling, no more frustration—just a clear, repeatable strategy that gets results.

Why Documenting Your Journey Works

Most people overthink content creation. They worry about angles, lighting, scripts, and algorithms when in reality, the most powerful content is the stuff that feels real and authentic.

Why?
Because people don’t just follow accounts—they follow stories. They follow people they can relate to. They don’t care about your credentials or your expertise until they see themselves in your journey.

When you document your journey, you create a connection with your audience. You’re not just another “content creator” throwing out generic advice—you’re a real person with a story. And that’s what people care about.

Mindset & Expectations: Stop Trying to Be Perfect

If you’re sitting there wondering “What should I post?” every single day, you’re doing it wrong.

The truth is: you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You don’t need fancy editing. You don’t need to be “creative” or “original” every single day. You just need to show up and share your process.

Here’s the mindset shift that changed everything for me:

• You are the story. People care about the journey, not just the results.
• Stop overthinking. Your content doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be real.
• Focus on consistency. You don’t need viral videos—you need videos that connect.

How to Tap Into Your Story & Make It Relatable

If you want people to engage with your content, you need to speak to their struggles. You need to make them feel like you understand them—because you do. You’ve been through the same things.

The Easiest Way to Find Your Story

Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What challenge am I currently facing?
   • Weight loss, business growth, confidence, self-improvement—whatever your journey is, share it.
2. What was the moment that changed everything?
   • The epiphany that made you think, “I need to change.” That moment creates connection because other people are going through the same thing.
3. What am I doing now to overcome it?
   • This is where you provide value. You’re not just talking about a problem—you’re showing how you’re working through it.

Example: Turning Advice Into a Story

Let’s say you want to teach time management. Most people would make a post saying:

“Here are 5 time management tips: 1. Write your goals. 2. Wake up early. 3. Use a planner…”

Boring. Nobody cares.

Instead, tell a story.

“I used to be late to everything. Missed job interviews, missed deadlines—I was a complete mess. One day, I got fired, and my dad told me I had one month to figure it out or move out. That’s when I picked up a book on time management. The first thing it said? ‘Write down your goals the night before.’ I did it, and the next morning, everything felt different. That’s when I realized… I had been sabotaging myself this whole time.”

See the difference? People relate to stories. They don’t want another list of tips. They want to feel something.

The Technical Side: How to Shoot & Edit Without Overthinking

Now that you know what to say, let’s talk about how to film it without making it complicated.

1. Keep It Simple: Use Your Phone

You don’t need fancy cameras or crazy edits. Some of my best-performing videos were shot with my iPhone.

• Use natural lighting
• Speak directly to the camera
• Keep it raw and real

2. Structure Your Video Like This:

To keep people watching, follow this format:

✅ The Hook (First 3 seconds)

• “I lost 50 lbs without stepping foot in a gym. Here’s how.”
• “I made $10K a month from Instagram with zero followers. Let me explain.”

✅ The Story/Value (The middle)

• Share the struggle, realization, and solution (like the time management example).

✅ The Payoff (Ending)

• End with a lesson, a challenge, or a call to action.

3. Cut the Fluff When Editing

People have short attention spans. Cut out all the “uhs” and “ums.” Get straight to the point.

• Trim dead space (remove pauses)
• Use captions (keeps people engaged)
• Add quick cuts (keeps the pacing tight)

Posting & Engagement: The Final Steps

Once you have your video, post it and engage with your audience.

• Reply to every comment (this boosts engagement).
• DM people who interact with your content.
• Treat every follower like a real person.

The more genuine and consistent you are, the more your audience will grow.

Final Takeaway: Stop Overthinking & Just Start

If you take one thing away from this, let it be this:

🔹 You don’t need to be an expert—you just need to be real.
🔹 Document your process, don’t create.
🔹 Your journey is what makes you unique.

If you’ve been struggling to post, just start today. Grab your phone, hit record, and talk about what you’re learning, struggling with, or working toward.

That’s how you build a personal brand that actually connects with people.

Now go out there and make it happen. 🚀