The Blood Bath that is the X Creator Program

Today I saw a post that stopped me for a moment.

A creator who genuinely loves X.

A creator who built community.

A creator who followed the rules, stayed optimistic, did the work…

…and is now questioning whether they bet on the wrong horse.

Their frustration is real.

Their disappointment is understandable.

And their emotions deserve respect.

But here’s the key distinction I want to make very clear:

Their frustration is not my discouragement.

Let’s Reset the Frame

I am currently at 3.1 million impressions.

The challenge is 5 million impressions.

The requirement is 2,000 verified followers.

That was the mission before payouts existed.

That remains the mission regardless of payouts.

Because this journey was never about entitlement to monetization.

It was about competition.

Why I’m Not Slowing Down

Creator programs change.

Rules shift.

Algorithms evolve.

Incentives get distorted.

That happens on every platform.

If your motivation is purely monetary, every change feels personal.

If your motivation is positioning, every change is just information.

I’m not here because I expect X to save me.

I’m here because I chose the arena.

And in any real arena:

• Some fighters get paid late

• Some rules feel unfair

• Some judges miss calls

• Some champions are ignored until they’re undeniable

That doesn’t stop competitors.

That reveals them.

This Is About Leverage, Not Payouts

5 million impressions isn’t a paycheck.

It’s proof of distribution.

2,000 verified followers isn’t validation.

It’s signal strength.

Positioning now means optionality later:

• Platform changes? I’m adaptable.

• Monetization shifts? I’ve built audience.

• Incentives vanish? The skills remain.

If the program improves — great.

If it disappears — fine.

If it evolves into something better — we’re already in position.

The mistake isn’t believing in a platform.

The mistake is believing any platform owes you certainty.

Why We Continue

We don’t quit because someone else is disappointed.

We don’t stop because the rules aren’t perfect.

We don’t confuse noise with signal.

This challenge is about:

• Discipline

• Output

• Consistency

• Competitive focus

• Learning how to build attention under pressure

Those skills transfer everywhere.

So we keep going.

Not for monetization.

Not for validation.

Not for guarantees.

But for the competition of it.

Take the position.

Do the reps.

Let the cards fall where they may.

See you tomorrow.

Regards

Michael Kennedy

@hoopstheoryx

@athleticentrepreneur