There are several compelling reasons why many successful YouTubers advise against telling your family and friends about your YouTube journey, especially in the early stages:

Discouragement and Lack of Understanding:

Well-Intentioned Doubts: Your loved ones, while meaning well, might not understand the potential or the process of building a YouTube channel. They might view it as a hobby, a waste of time, or an unrealistic endeavor. Their questions ("When are you going to get a real job?", "Are you actually making money?") can be deflating.

Negative Feedback: They might offer unsolicited criticism about your content, your appearance, or your niche, which can be hard to hear from people you care about and can stifle your creativity.

Lack of Support: Instead of encouragement, you might face skepticism or even ridicule, making it harder to stay motivated.

Pressure and Expectations:

Performance Anxiety: Knowing your loved ones are watching can create immense pressure to perform, leading to self-consciousness and a fear of failure. This can hinder your natural flow and authenticity.

Unrealistic Expectations: If you start gaining traction, they might suddenly expect you to become an overnight sensation, putting undue pressure on you to constantly deliver more views, subscribers, or income.

"When will you be famous?" questions: This can be exhausting and distracting from the actual work involved in building a channel.

Loss of Authenticity and Creative Freedom:

Self-Censorship: You might start to censor yourself, avoid certain topics, or alter your personality to appease your family and friends, rather than creating content that truly resonates with your target audience.

Fear of Judgment: The fear of being judged by those close to you can prevent you from exploring unique ideas or expressing your true self, which is often what makes a YouTube channel stand out.

Internal Filter: You might constantly be thinking, "What would my mom think of this video?" or "Would my friends make fun of me for saying that?" This internal filter can kill your creativity.

Privacy Concerns:

Unwanted Exposure: You might not want your personal life, your home, or certain aspects of your family to be exposed to your online audience, even indirectly. Telling them about your channel can lead to them sharing information or appearing in videos without your full consent or understanding of the implications.

Boundary Issues: It can become difficult to set boundaries between your personal life and your YouTube persona if your family is heavily invested in your channel.

Distraction and Unnecessary Input:

Constant Questions: You might be bombarded with questions about your analytics, your earnings, or why a particular video didn't perform well, taking time and energy away from content creation.

Unsolicited Advice: Everyone will suddenly become a YouTube expert, offering advice that may not be relevant or helpful to your specific niche.

When it might be okay to tell them (and how):

Once you have established yourself: When you have a solid foundation, consistent content, and perhaps even started to see some income or a dedicated audience, it might be easier to explain and for them to understand.

Focus on the passion, not the numbers: When you do tell them, frame it around your passion, what you enjoy about creating, and the community you're building, rather than just views or subscribers.

Set clear boundaries: Let them know what you're comfortable with them sharing or not sharing, and whether you want their feedback or just their support.

Choose who you tell carefully: Perhaps there's one particularly supportive friend or family member you trust who you can confide in.

Ultimately, keeping your YouTube journey to yourself in the beginning allows you to focus on your content, develop your voice, and make mistakes and learn without the added pressure and scrutiny from your inner circle. Your early growth should be about experimentation and finding your stride, and doing that quietly can be incredibly liberating.