Sometimes, an idea or a thought are enough to acquire a new philosophy. A spark is all you need to keep lighting your own way. Recently, I came across the idea “seek to be worth knowing,” proposed by Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 BC).

I’ve always admired him. His teachings focused on self-cultivation, emulation of moral exemplars, and skilled judgment rather than knowledge of rules. I thought that, when it comes to creativity, the same principles apply.

On self-cultivation, the following idea is marvellous:

Worry not that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.

Confucius

In a creative journey, you start from zero. Nobody knows what you do or what messages you’re trying to convey. However, the important part is not producing a masterpiece after a masterpiece to gain fame and become a recognizable face. It’s about sharing who you are through your ideas; through your craft.

You build a reputation from something that matters to you. As you keep sharing your work, it resonates with others. They get interested, and then they decide to connect or ‘buy’ you. It’s that resonance that makes you a person worth knowing.

So don’t worry if you don’t have many followers on social media or enough subscribers on your newsletter. Avoid obsessing over numbers and stressful metrics. Above all, make sure your work is worth exploring.

Discipline will get you there.

What are your thoughts?