change (no.1) applause

There are people who are making real change and not looking for a paycheck or pat on the back. Ziggy Alberts, Tristan Harris, Seth Godin, John Mark Comer, Joe Hollier, and Yvon Chouinard to name a few. Creators in spaces from music to clothing, all doing things different. Applause is a grotesque byproduct of the generous work they do.

Seeking encouragement is a habit that's easy to pick up but hard to kick.

It's an output minded focus that detracts from our work.

Receiving validation for the work we do is dangerous.

As Seth Godin says, "reassurance is futile."

The counter-thought is the echo chamber. How can our work meaningfully effect people at their core if we aren't hearing from them? How can we know when our work stops resonating?

These thoughts come from the Resistance. I'm entirely convinced now that the creative people listed above are not caught up in asking whether they are still relevant but are entirely committed to carrying out their creative act of Defiance because it is what they do, with or without applause.

They do it because they have defined the who and what their change involves, and they know it works when they are allowed to continue creating that change.