After two and a half years of consistent effort, I finally hit YouTube monetization! In this video, I share my journey from a hot mess first upload in March 2023 to reaching 1,700 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. As a former fire captain and paramedic turned dad content creator, I break down the five key lessons I've learned along the way to help aspiring creators—especially fellow dads—stay motivated, experiment, and build a meaningful channel. Whether you're starting out or pushing through plateaus, these tips on mindset, systems, and persistence will inspire you to document your passions, find your "why," and keep going for legacy and impact. If you're a dad looking to improve your faith, family relationships, finances, or just level up as a man, this is for you. Don't forget to check out my interview with Dr. John Deloney from Ramsey Solutions linked below!#YouTubeMonetization #CreatorJourney #DadAdvice #LessonsLearned #ContentCreationTips #FaithAndFamily #PersonalGrowthChapters:00:00 - Intro: Finally Monetized After 2.5 Years!00:22 - My Background and First Video Fail00:34 - Lesson 1: Don't Do It for the Audience—Document for Yourself01:45 - Lesson 2: Build a Technical System to Make It Easy03:20 - Lesson 3: Experiment with Topics—Throw It at the Wall04:50 - Lesson 4: Find Your Why and Stay Consistent06:30 - Lesson 5: Don't Give Up—Share Your Unique Knowledge08:00 - Wrapping Up: Motivation for Dads and Next Steps