Ashni A.K.A @Ashnicrist has been on Twitch since 2013 — and she gives all credit to her amazing friends and community for being ability to go full-time in 2015. Even though she was self-admittedly terrible at first, she took the initiative to learn as much as she could as quickly as she could. And, now, she creates content to help other streamers learn to stream and pursue their dreams. She and her team even spent six months working on an e-book, audiobook, and workbook for the struggling streamer. Read on for valuable advice from this motivational BroadcastHER Grant winner.

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

My dream is to build a complete educational resource that not only allows streamers to learn on their own time, but also allows me to hire people who can lead them to their own dreams.

How will the BroadcastHER Grant from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals?

This grant will help me reach my goals by allowing me to create an L.L.C. for my company, Stream Coach, and complete the hiring process for coaches.

What does being the recipient of the BroadcastHER Grant mean to you?

Being a recipient means I can move faster towards the future that I see developing for creators everywhere — a future where dreams of being a content creator aren’t stifled by our thoughts of ‘I’m not funny/attractive/interesting enough.’ I want to help creators change those thoughts into ‘Maybe I’m not right now, but I can learn to be.’

Women are underrepresented in gaming, broadcasting, and e-sports. What can we do to change this?

1DF offers a great start to achieving this goal, but more women still need support. It can come in many forms, from women’s groups to funding and education. Opportunities are endless. The best we can all do right now is recognize the opportunities available to us and use them to raise up others — especially marginalized individuals.

What are some of the challenges you have faced along the way?

Streaming didn’t come easily for me. I scraped by for a long time and had a terrible mindset. I was jealous of successful people and I didn’t trust others. I thought someone else’s success were my failures. I thought resources were finite and hard to win. And the worst belief I held was that I didn’t deserve success because it didn’t come naturally to me.

Overnight sensations don’t exist. Everyone you see blow up has had a long road of skill-building to get there — you just don’t know that journey. Sometimes they don’t realize it either. So understand this very clearly: You are NOT going to be an overnight success. If you don’t see immediate results with streaming, YouTube, podcasting, social media, etc. quickly, it doesn’t mean you are failing. Quitting is a disservice to all the people you are going to help in the future.

What advice do you have for women who want to start broadcasting?

Just get started. Some of the best creators out there do their thing on basic equipment and absolutely crush it. You don’t need a sexy setup. Also, find a mentor. Mentorship is one of the most underrated practices in our industry. The right person can guild you to your goals faster — and time is precious.

Have fun in the beginning, but search to figure out what you want. Your first priority should be finding the answer to the question: ‘Is this ENJOYABLE for me?’ You will not stick with things you don’t enjoy. Your second goal is to find the answer to: ‘What does streaming mean for me?’ Is it a hobby, job, career, long-term plan? Each goal will require different actions and activity level from you.

Also, be stubborn. Overcome yourself over and over. Don’t listen to people who are telling you that you can’t. Don’t listen to your own self-limiting beliefs. You are a rock star in the making. Believe it. Stubborn belief is a requirement for success.

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

Motivation is fleeting. You can be motivated by another person or a YouTube video, but some days you won’t feel it. If you rely on motivation to achieve, you will crash and burn. You don’t need motivation, you need discipline. Discipline shines through the systems and habits you set to achieve your goals. Plan your time well; follow through on what you say you will do; set boundaries for your life and work; and constantly educate yourself to learn how to make your time and energy more efficient. I highly recommend reading Atomic Habits by James Clear and Indistractable by Nir Eyal.