WHEN IT FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS WORKING

rusticsimpledesign
May 26
3 min read

You’re doing the work. All the things. You’re showing up. You’ve made the products, launched the shop, posted to social, tried the strategies. And… crickets. You get a sinking, invisible, “what am I even doing this for?” kind of feeling. I’ve been there too... more than once. So today, I want to talk about pressing on when it feels like nothing is working in your digital product business or print-on-demand shop.

cricket ball, when you hear crickets in your business, you need to be reminded of your why

“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.” -Brene Brown

Maybe you're in this space right now — feeling discouraged, questioning yourself, wondering if this passive product dream is even real.

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re still building.

Progress in your creative business doesn’t always look like sales notifications or Instagram followers. Sometimes it looks like gaining internal clarity, a sharper design eye, or developing a stronger message. It looks like learning what doesn’t work so you can refine what does. Not many people talk about the long inner journey you go through before things click. But all of that work? It’s what makes your foundation stronger.

If your passive income business feels slower than someone else’s, that doesn’t mean it’s not working. It might just mean your foundation is being built deeper. More rooted. More sustainable. More yours.

Most “overnight success” stories are built on years of invisible effort. You don’t see the 20 product flops before the one that took off. The blog posts no one read. The mugs no one bought. The Pinterest pins that went nowhere. You’re comparing your beginning or middle to someone else’s highlight reel and it doesn't feel good.

But you’re not behind. You’re just in the messy middle — and that’s where the real growth happens.

Here are some things you can do right now:

Reconnect to Why You Started.

Ignore the algorithm & the Etsy stats. Get to the heart of why you even began this chapter in your life. Did you have art inside you that you felt led to share with the world? Did you want to help others reach a new milestone? Did you want to bring joy to those around you through digital downloads, print-on-demand gifts, or encouraging products?

Simplify.

You don’t have to do everything. Just the next right thing. One platform. One product. One keyword. Please don’t overlook this one. Truly, focusing on ONE thing is more important than doing all the things.

Review Your Brand Keywords.

Are you making it easy for people to find you? If not, decide the keywords you want to be known for — (things like: selling digital products, Etsy digital downloads, print-on-demand products, unique gift shop, selling on Etsy, digital art products) Use them in your content. Use them in your product descriptions. Use them in your Pinterest pins, blog posts, and social bios. Get others to mention you when they talk about these topics. Search engines will start to catch on — and eventually, so will your dream customers.

Talk to Your People.

Whether it’s your email list, your followers, or your best friend — say what you’re struggling with. Let people see you. The real you. The behind the scenes. The long hours. The mess and the magic. Yes, I know it’s harder than it sounds. But sharing your heart builds real connection — and that’s what helps grow a business that people remember.

Keep Creating.

Even if no one’s watching. What you’re building matters. It just might not be visible yet. One day, you’ll look back and be amazed at what you’ve built with your own hands —

a thriving, aligned, purpose-filled digital product business.

“Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently.” o-Marie Forleo

You’re not alone — and you’re not failing. You’re doing brave work in a noisy world. It takes guts to keep going when no one's clapping. It takes vision to show up when the results aren’t instant. You’re not lost. You’re just in the hard part — and I promise, it doesn’t last forever.

Craving Structure, Clarity & Some Real Momentum?

Join my Free 6-Day Digital Product Business Plan Challenge.

Inside, you’ll get a clear path to move from stuck to focused — with small, doable steps that help you finally connect the dots and see the big picture.