Creativity is a Practice, Not a Performance
Your growth through creation matters more than society's expectations
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Are you creating for them… of for you? For the metrics… or the meaning?
As an entrepreneur, creative, artist or anyone who seeks to build something of contributory value to this world… the balance between trusting what you want to introduce to the world and becoming a commercial success is tricky one.
The market is noisy. Billions of posts, millions of creators, endless content vying for attention.
But noise isn't necessarily music. And metrics aren't necessarily meaning.
Every day, creators face the algorithm's demands…
Post more. Post faster. Chase trends. Build numbers.
The metrics flash before us like a digital scoreboard — likes, shares, follows, engagement rates.
Each notification is a small hit of validation, and each quiet post a hint of doubt.
I've watched brilliant creators water down their work to fit trending formats… and I’ve seen visionaries abandon their unique voice to echo what's already popular.
I’ve also watched artists trade their truth for temporary traction.
The cost?
More than just lost authenticity. It's the creative blocks that come from second-guessing every single idea.
The burnout from trying to keep up with an insatiable feed.
The quiet dread of feeling like an impostor in your own creative space.
Your contribution to this world isn't measured in likes — it's measured in lives changed, souls reached and minds opened to new possibilities.
When you create from this place of authentic contribution rather than algorithmic appeasement, the market tends to respond. Not immediately. Not predictably. But inevitably.
Because the market might be noisy, but it's also hungry… for truth, for authenticity… for work that comes from somewhere deeper than the data.
We’re at battle with… the views, the likes, the follows… the metrics that supposedly validate our work.
Believe me… I get it. It's easy to base your value on views because... well... views say people like your stuff. But here's what nobody tells you about creation:
The moment you start creating for metrics,
is the moment you stop creating for meaning…
and part of you feels missing in the process.
Tyler, the Creator (musician, producer, fashion designer) challenged mainstream acceptance from the start… placing authentic creativity over saturated trends.
He faced this tension head-on. While others chased radio-friendly formulas, he doubled down on his distinct vision. He wasn't just making music — he was building a universe.
The mainstream called it weird, unmarketable, too different. But he understood something crucial… authenticity compounds. Each project built on the last, creating not just songs but a movement.
His early work — the raw, unfiltered expression of his vision — didn't take off until his later work became known…. even making some of it go platinum.
The market didn't catch up to his creativity until he'd already built a body of work that was undeniably his.
He altered the definition of “commercial success” by redefining it.
Why? Because he wasn't performing for the algorithm. He was practicing his craft. He was building his portfolio of work… a collection of where he’d been and his evolving seasons and interests.
I relate to this deeply. The world often overlooks new talent and fresh faces... especially those offering something different — a new style, perspective, or way of doing things.
When I first started writing and podcasting, I refused to play the typical "media" and "accolades" game. I wanted to win on merit alone, regardless of how long it would take.
I've had podcasts overlook me for insufficient social numbers (now 200K+ community). Publishers said I needed a bigger following (now my work reaches over a billion views).
But I chose a different path with my own podcast, featuring incredible talent regardless of their following. When guests asked why I'd feature them without the numbers, my answer was simple: talent is talent, regardless of recognition. I felt both responsible and strategic in introducing voices the world needed to hear.
I was unconventional in every way...
Looking back, I was protected by these rejections. You often can't piece together your blessings until you see how everything turns out.
Here's another truth about creation... your growth through the process matters infinitely more than society's metrics of success.
When you place pressure on external validation, your work becomes a reflection of external pressures rather than internal purpose.
But when you approach creation as a practice — a daily refinement of what you're here to do — something amazing happens.
You find your freedom and your liberation… and yes, you even find abundance... as a byproduct rather than the goal.
But first, we need to understand what's holding us back..
The Prison of Performance
When creation becomes a performance, we build our own creative prison. Each piece becomes less about expression and more about validation.
Consider the painter who stops mid-stroke to check if others will approve. The writer who edits their truth away before it hits the page.
"The amateur is afraid of the moment before creation. The professional knows that creation comes through the work." — Steven Pressfield
The walls of this prison are built from metrics. The bars forged from others' expectations. With each refresh, each check of the analytics, we add another brick to our confinement.
Think about your last piece of work. How many times did you stop to wonder what "they" would think? How often did you edit out your truth to fit what's trending?
This is the performance trap — where every creative act becomes a question of approval rather than expression. Where we start creating what we think will work instead of what we know needs to be said.
The cost isn't just creative freedom. It's the very essence of why we create in the first place. When we perform instead of practice, we trade our voice for views, our purpose for popularity.
But here's what makes this prison particularly dangerous: it feels like strategy. It masquerades as "market awareness" or "giving people what they want."
The truth? The market doesn't want your performance. It wants your practice, your process, your pursuit of mastery — even if it doesn't know it yet.
And that's where the real magic happens — in the practice.
When you shift from performing to practicing, something extraordinary unfolds. You begin building more than just content... you start building worlds.
Each practice adds another layer, another dimension to your creative universe.
Your ideas start merging with each other. Seemingly opposite disciplines or concepts find a way to integrate.
Previous work becomes foundation rather than forgotten posts… and your voice gets stronger not because you're trying to be heard, but because you're focused on what needs to be said.
This is what happens when you trade performance for practice. When you stop asking 'will this work?' and start exploring 'what could this become?'"
Your role isn't to conform to what exists. It's to create what doesn't.
REFLECTION…
How does your energy shift when creating for metrics versus creating from purpose?
If you knew your next piece would get zero views but would be exactly what you wanted to create, would you still make it?
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We Must Decide… The Prison or the Practice
The truth about creative freedom is paradoxical... it comes not from reaching for what performs, but from releasing the need to perform at all.
This might feel counterintuitive in a world obsessed with metrics. But remember — the most meaningful creations often begin in the quietest spaces, away from the noise of notifications and the pressure of performance.
When you find yourself checking analytics before the paint has dried, refreshing stats before the words have settled, remember... these are just bricks in the prison you're building around your creativity.
Your work deserves more than that. Your voice deserves more than that.
And yes, your audience deserves way more than that... even if they don't know it yet.
What awaits beyond these prison walls isn't just freedom — it's the space to build something truly yours. Something that couldn't exist if you were still performing for metrics instead of practicing your craft.
Your role isn't to conform to what exists. It's to create what doesn't.
Now, go create!
Have a great week!
Matt
**NOTE: This exploration continues next week as we dive into a phenomenon I'm seeing everywhere in today's creator economy: World Building. I'm noticing how creators are moving beyond mere content creation to craft entire universes around their vision, values, and voice - and it's changing everything about how we create, connect, and contribute. Stay tuned.
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In the meantime, tell your friends!
While reading this post, I heard "Yes!" in my mind many times. Thank you, Matt. It truly speaks to me, especially the call to value meaning over metrics. In my publication, I’ve embraced using an avatar and keeping my personal life private, going against the trend of oversharing online. This choice reflects my belief that meaningful work comes from intention and authenticity, not exposure. Thank you for encouraging creators to trust in their unique paths and focus on what truly matters.
This resonates so much with my philosophy in creating and the goal of my newsletter 🥺 Thank you so much for articulating this message so beautifully, Matt! 🙏🏻💖