How our best work isn’t always perceived as such by others… and why that’s okay.
This article first appeared on medium.com.
Like you, I was thrilled with the opportunity to watch Hamilton on Disney+. I had listened to the music for years, and I’m an even bigger fan now that I’ve seen the performance.
During a live watch party on Friday, July 3, 2020, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted this about his song “Satisfied”:
Satisfied. I’ll never top it, as long as I live. From idea to Tommy and Andy and Lac’s work to Renee’s flawless execution. Will never top it.
If the Amazon Music app is any indication, “Satisfied” is one of Miranda’s more popular songs. In the screenshot below, the blue status bars indicate a song’s popularity. “Satisfied” certainly ranks among the top in order of popularity.
Give “My Shot” a Shot
Another one of Miranda’s incredible songs, however, might not be getting the respect it deserves. “My Shot” took Miranda nearly one year to create. Yet, looking back to the screenshot above, “My Shot” is obviously one of Act I’s least popular songs…
This speaks volumes to me about the importance of creating content. Some may look at “My Shot,” consider its relative unpopularity, and deem the track a colossal failure, especially for the amount of time spent in its creation.
But if you ask Miranda, I think he’d tell you that the process was worth every minute. In the end, it doesn’t matter what others think. You can only control your creative process. Often what we deem to be our best work isn’t our most popular work… But that’s okay.
We Can’t Control Others’ Reactions
Author and psychologist Benjamin Hardy has said that he could have never anticipated some of his medium.com articles going viral, while other articles have performed more poorly than he had expected.
As creators, we often are the most critical judges of our creations. However, it is crucial that we don’t stop creating.
Vincent van Gogh is a great example of an artist who created, regardless of how his works were perceived. Though his life was troubled and he experienced very little material success, his fame has grown since his passing, and his paintings are among some of the most expensive ever sold.
Parenting and Intrinsic Value
My efforts as a husband and father of two boys are vastly important. Yet, those efforts are rarely visible or apparent to the outside world.
Choosing to read with my 5-year-old son rather than scrolling on my phone for 15 minutes will have such a seemingly insignificant impact after one day that it would be easy to discount its importance.
However, parenting, just like Lin Manuel-Miranda’s song “My Shot,” celebrates intrinsic value. Being a good dad won’t make me rich, nor will it be quote-on-quote the most “efficient” use of my time. But I will find tremendous value in the process itself.
Reflection — It’s Time to Create
Your #1 competitor is your past self. Focus on what matters most to you and on your creative process, and leave others’ acceptance to others.
Have the courage to create content, regardless of how it will be perceived.
Develop resilience.
Take a deep look at your priorities.
And never stop creating.