If you spend any time on Instagram, you’ve probably seen the same pattern play out again and again. A new creator appears out of nowhere, suddenly announcing she’s made six figures from a digital course that, strangely, looks identical to the one every other “six-figure” creator is selling. The same language. The same screenshots. The same promise that you’re only one template or script away from overnight success.
I’ve watched this trend grow, and something about it doesn’t sit right. Not because there’s anything wrong with selling digital products or earning a good income online, far from it, but because so many of these claims paint a picture that simply isn’t realistic for the average person.
The truth is that these posts are designed to tempt you in. They make it look effortless, quick and guaranteed. But most people who buy these courses will never earn what’s being advertised. Not because they’re lazy. Not because they’re doing something wrong. But because the model itself relies on volume, timing and visibility that only a tiny fraction of people ever achieve.
And that’s the part no one talks about.
Why This Trend Isn’t Sustainable
When dozens of creators are pushing the same course, often an MRR product they bought, for $500 or more, all using the same scripts, there’s no room left for individuality. Everyone ends up shouting the same message, and the feed becomes saturated. You might make a few sales early on, but as more people jump in, demand drops and competition rises. Before long, the whole thing loses its shine.
What’s being sold isn’t really a “business.” It’s more like riding a passing trend. You’re not building anything of your own; you’re just reselling something pre-made that hundreds of others are promoting in the same way. There’s no foundation, no long-term plan, and nothing that sets you apart. It works only while the hype is high, and once that fades, the income goes with it. A real business can stand on its own. This can’t.
There’s also an ethical side to consider. Making bold income claims without context isn’t fair to the people watching. There’s a world of difference between “I made this amount once, under specific conditions” and “you can easily make the same.” Promising life-changing results when you know most people won’t achieve them is wrong, and I think it’s important that more of us say so out loud.
What Actually Works Long-Term
You don’t need to jump on someone else’s bandwagon to build something meaningful. In fact, you’re far better off creating your own thing, something that suits your strengths, your interests and your pace.
A business with your ideas at the centre has staying power. You’re not competing with thousands of other accounts selling the exact same offer. You’re not relying on hype. You’re building something that can grow with you.
Whether that’s a blog, digital products, a service, a shop, or something else entirely, it’s far more sustainable than copying an already crowded trend. You get to set your own direction instead of chasing someone else’s formula.
What Truly Lasts
There’s nothing wrong with wanting a better income or a more flexible life. But the Instagram version of “six-figure success” is airbrushed and incomplete. Real, lasting progress usually comes from steady work, consistency and putting your own ideas into the world, not repeating a script that a thousand others have already used.
So if you’ve felt pressured by those posts, take a breath. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. The wiser move is building something that actually belongs to you.
