When you do what I do — writing, blogging, podcasting, training — you can often come to wonder if there is anyone out there listening to what you have to say? Sure, I have web stats and podcasting downloads and a host of other metrics, but there are times when you are wondering if anyone is reading what you write and if you are having any effect on the world at all If it all went away tomorrow, would anyone really notice.
I think that we all have regular bouts with these existential thoughts, but for me (and I would assume others like me) it takes on the form a a cycle. We work and work and work and then we wonder. We work and work and work and then we hear nothing but crickets. The one thing that keeps me going is the infrequent notes and letters I get from people who have been effected by my work. These are typically amazing and very heartening, especially when I am at the bottom of one of my worth/worthless cycles. They are a like a bright candle in the night. Showing you that someone really is out there and paying attention.
Of course, go too long without one of these letters and the outlook can get pretty dark. I’ve been there and I think I know what it is like. You never think it is going to end — or more accurately, you begin to feel that this IS the end, with nothing more to come. For some like myself, you can tend to depression, this can be a very difficult place to find yourself. You are already in a deep, deep, hole and then feel as if the ladder is being pulled up from above. Yikes!
Still, I — and others like me — still keep working, keep writing, keep recording. Deep inside I know that I am having some effect, even if it might be less than I want and earning less than I would like. I don’t really want to imagine what might happen if I lose this feeling completely, but it would certainly require a dramatic change in my life and work. Unitl then, though, I keep plugging away at those things I think are important and looking for ways to turn that effect into success — both professionally and economically.
Previously on End of the Day:
- Getting together isn’t that hard – End of the Day for May 31, 2014
- A walk in the neighborhood – End of the Day for May 30, 2014
- Theater and “The Diviners” – End of the Day for May 29, 2014
- Days of Highs and Lows – End of the Day for May 28, 2014
- The kids are alright! – End of the Day for May 27, 2014
- Serendipity – End of the Day for May 26, 2014
- Difficult relationships – End of the Day for May 25, 2014
- A “normal” Saturday – End of the Day for May 24, 2014
- Don’t feed the trolls – End of the Day for May 23, 2014
- When Opportunity Knocks – End of the Day for May 22, 2014
- A simple night – End of the Day for May 21, 2014
- What are your secrets? – End of the Day for May 20, 2014
- Did someone get the number of that bus? – End of the Day for May 19, 2014
- Communication and confidence – End of the Day for May 18, 2014
- Attention, Mindfulness and Code Words – End of the Day for May 17, 2014
- Not ready to retire…in any way! – End of the Day for May 16, 2014
- Partners, friends and humanity – End of the Day for May 15, 2014
- What to do? What to do? – End of the Day for May 14, 2014
- Il Piccolo Pisolino (A Little Nap) – End of the Day for May 12, 2014
- It’s the small things – End of the Day for May 11, 2014
- A day off, more or less – End of the Day for May 10, 2014
- The importance of stopping – End of the Day for May 9, 2014
- Expectations of change lead to disappointment – End of the Day for May 8, 2014
- Loneliness – End of the Day for May 7, 2014
- Some days are best when they are over – End of the Day for May 6, 2014
- Control your technology, life, work, don’t let it control you – End of the Day for May 5, 2014
- On tradition, ritual and the smaller moments of life – End of the Day for May 4, 2014
- Of boats and oceans and foxes – End of the Day for May 3, 2014
- Off to the islands again tomorrow – End of the Day for May 2, 2014
- End of the Day for April 2014
- End of the Day for March 2014
- End of the Day for February 2014
- End of the Day for January 2014
I know the feeling of “shouting into the void.” It’s not fun to feel like whatever you’re putting out there isn’t really resonating with others. Regardless, all there really is the work itself. And there’s always more of it to be done. So, keep going. Keep creating. Be worried when you’re no longer driven to do that.
Doug, I am right there with you. I spend most of my weeks outing heart and soul into creative projects, audio podcasts, videos, etc.) and then release it and…nothing. Outside of a like or two on Facebook or Twitter, there’s nothing. And those likes and favorites don’t mean that the people actually consumed the content. It is immensely frustrating and increasingly harder to fight through week by week for me.
My new, post Dr. Floyd, podcasts don’t get any traction and even on the rare occasion I put out something new under the Dr. Floyd banner, it lands with a thud. Then I see others who put out content created in less the amount of time with less the amount of thought will get hundred and thousands of likes, favorites and shares and it just drags me down further into that worthless cycle you spoke about.
I’m thinking part of the problem, at least in my case, is social media. Back in the heyday of Dr. Floyd, there wasn’t social media as it is now. It wasn’t so ubiquitous. We created content without the need for likes or favorites. We just created it and put it out there.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about doing just that. Not dumping social media all together, but just focusing on my website and the content there. Let wordpress push it to the various social media platforms, but never login to see the Like count or how many retweets things have received. I wonder if that will change my worth perception?
Great post. You aren’t alone. Totally going through this now. And, you are right. We just have to keep doing it. I wouldn’t be able to stop creating even if I wanted to.
Don’t be morose. Be more Rose….