No one cares how hard you worked on something—they only care if it benefits them.
It’s easy to pump countless hours into a project no one asked for.
A song no one wants to listen to.
A product no one wants to buy.
A service no one needs.
But so many artists, creators, and entrepreneurs do this every day.
The prevailing sentiment is, “Well, I made this thing, so obviously someone will want it.”
But nothing could be further from the truth.
Where attention goes
People pay attention to the things that affect them.
Yes, it’s that simple.
Our worlds naturally only include items that have registered as important to our conscious (or subconscious) minds.
This is why whenever you buy a new car you start to see it everywhere.
Or why when you have a conversation about a certain product it just “happens” to show up in social media ads the next day.
The human brain is an optimization machine, and it works overtime to survive and implement the life and identity we have chosen to pursue.
Whether we realize it or not.
This means the things we create—art, music, products, services—have to fit into this identity to add value to the lives of others.
Otherwise our work is just background noise.
Where identity flows
The things we use and love generally tend to become a part of who we are.
People don’t just listen to Taylor Swift—they’re “Swifties”.
It’s what drives the classic “Coke vs. Pepsi” argument.
Or Marvel vs. DC.
So whether you’re making music, selling software, or creating courses, you have to make something that will help people become who they want to be.
Because your product or service is likely to become a part of their identity.
Fortunately, this isn’t nearly as difficult to pull off as you might think.
But you have to pay attention to the market.
Are you listening?
The easiest way to create something people want is to listen to what they tell you.
And they will tell you 100% of the time.
But you have to hear what they say.
Or don’t say.
Because the absence of feedback and attention is, in so many ways, just as loud as the alternative.
It’s easy to see when you’ve made something no one wants.
Because you’ll hear crickets.
When you’ve created art, a product, or a service that the market doesn’t need, no one will consume or buy it.
Unfortunately, small artists and creators lack the perspective to see this for what it is.
In many cases, yes, you might still be early, but most of the time, what you’ve made just isn’t resonating.
Yet.
So you have to learn, adjust, and try again.
And this is the essence of using your creative gifts to serve the market.
Plan and pivot
If you’ve released something into the market—a song, product, etc.—and you’re not generating a lick of attention with it, odds are you need to step back up and try again.
Make a small change, then give it another shot.
Because you might be one small adjustment from changing your life.
For context, it took me years of consistently posting to YouTube before I had my first “breakout” video.
It took years of releasing music before I had a song hit Release Radar and Discover Weekly on Spotify.
And it took years of quietly building my business until it grew into something more than just a side hustle.
And all the while, I learned, adjusted, and kept showing up.
These things take time.
And attention.
And the courage to change and continue forward when what you’re doing isn’t working.
But you have to keep going.
And, more than anything, you have to work diligently to use what you’re doing to improve the lives of others.
Because if you want to create something people want, there is no other way forward.
No one cares how hard you worked on something—they only care if it benefits them.
It’s easy to pump countless hours into a project no one asked for.
A song no one wants to listen to.
A product no one wants to buy.
A service no one needs.
But so many artists, creators, and entrepreneurs do this every day.
The prevailing sentiment is, “Well, I made this thing, so obviously someone will want it.”
But nothing could be further from the truth.
Where attention goes
People pay attention to the things that affect them.
Yes, it’s that simple.
Our worlds naturally only include items that have registered as important to our conscious (or subconscious) minds.
This is why whenever you buy a new car you start to see it everywhere.
Or why when you have a conversation about a certain product it just “happens” to show up in social media ads the next day.
The human brain is an optimization machine, and it works overtime to survive and implement the life and identity we have chosen to pursue.
Whether we realize it or not.
This means the things we create—art, music, products, services—have to fit into this identity to add value to the lives of others.
Otherwise our work is just background noise.
Where identity flows
The things we use and love generally tend to become a part of who we are.
People don’t just listen to Taylor Swift—they’re “Swifties”.
It’s what drives the classic “Coke vs. Pepsi” argument.
Or Marvel vs. DC.
So whether you’re making music, selling software, or creating courses, you have to make something that will help people become who they want to be.
Because your product or service is likely to become a part of their identity.
Fortunately, this isn’t nearly as difficult to pull off as you might think.
But you have to pay attention to the market.
Are you listening?
The easiest way to create something people want is to listen to what they tell you.
And they will tell you 100% of the time.
But you have to hear what they say.
Or don’t say.
Because the absence of feedback and attention is, in so many ways, just as loud as the alternative.
It’s easy to see when you’ve made something no one wants.
Because you’ll hear crickets.
When you’ve created art, a product, or a service that the market doesn’t need, no one will consume or buy it.
Unfortunately, small artists and creators lack the perspective to see this for what it is.
In many cases, yes, you might still be early, but most of the time, what you’ve made just isn’t resonating.
Yet.
So you have to learn, adjust, and try again.
And this is the essence of using your creative gifts to serve the market.
Plan and pivot
If you’ve released something into the market—a song, product, etc.—and you’re not generating a lick of attention with it, odds are you need to step back up and try again.
Make a small change, then give it another shot.
Because you might be one small adjustment from changing your life.
For context, it took me years of consistently posting to YouTube before I had my first “breakout” video.
It took years of releasing music before I had a song hit Release Radar and Discover Weekly on Spotify.
And it took years of quietly building my business until it grew into something more than just a side hustle.
And all the while, I learned, adjusted, and kept showing up.
These things take time.
And attention.
And the courage to change and continue forward when what you’re doing isn’t working.
But you have to keep going.
And, more than anything, you have to work diligently to use what you’re doing to improve the lives of others.
Because if you want to create something people want, there is no other way forward.
No one cares how hard you worked on something—they only care if it benefits them.
It’s easy to pump countless hours into a project no one asked for.
A song no one wants to listen to.
A product no one wants to buy.
A service no one needs.
But so many artists, creators, and entrepreneurs do this every day.
The prevailing sentiment is, “Well, I made this thing, so obviously someone will want it.”
But nothing could be further from the truth.
Where attention goes
People pay attention to the things that affect them.
Yes, it’s that simple.
Our worlds naturally only include items that have registered as important to our conscious (or subconscious) minds.
This is why whenever you buy a new car you start to see it everywhere.
Or why when you have a conversation about a certain product it just “happens” to show up in social media ads the next day.
The human brain is an optimization machine, and it works overtime to survive and implement the life and identity we have chosen to pursue.
Whether we realize it or not.
This means the things we create—art, music, products, services—have to fit into this identity to add value to the lives of others.
Otherwise our work is just background noise.
Where identity flows
The things we use and love generally tend to become a part of who we are.
People don’t just listen to Taylor Swift—they’re “Swifties”.
It’s what drives the classic “Coke vs. Pepsi” argument.
Or Marvel vs. DC.
So whether you’re making music, selling software, or creating courses, you have to make something that will help people become who they want to be.
Because your product or service is likely to become a part of their identity.
Fortunately, this isn’t nearly as difficult to pull off as you might think.
But you have to pay attention to the market.
Are you listening?
The easiest way to create something people want is to listen to what they tell you.
And they will tell you 100% of the time.
But you have to hear what they say.
Or don’t say.
Because the absence of feedback and attention is, in so many ways, just as loud as the alternative.
It’s easy to see when you’ve made something no one wants.
Because you’ll hear crickets.
When you’ve created art, a product, or a service that the market doesn’t need, no one will consume or buy it.
Unfortunately, small artists and creators lack the perspective to see this for what it is.
In many cases, yes, you might still be early, but most of the time, what you’ve made just isn’t resonating.
Yet.
So you have to learn, adjust, and try again.
And this is the essence of using your creative gifts to serve the market.
Plan and pivot
If you’ve released something into the market—a song, product, etc.—and you’re not generating a lick of attention with it, odds are you need to step back up and try again.
Make a small change, then give it another shot.
Because you might be one small adjustment from changing your life.
For context, it took me years of consistently posting to YouTube before I had my first “breakout” video.
It took years of releasing music before I had a song hit Release Radar and Discover Weekly on Spotify.
And it took years of quietly building my business until it grew into something more than just a side hustle.
And all the while, I learned, adjusted, and kept showing up.
These things take time.
And attention.
And the courage to change and continue forward when what you’re doing isn’t working.
But you have to keep going.
And, more than anything, you have to work diligently to use what you’re doing to improve the lives of others.
Because if you want to create something people want, there is no other way forward.
Take the next step
Read the Newsletter: Explore previous issues of The One Thing to learn at your own pace and upgrade your marketing knowledge for free.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
Become a Client: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Take a Course: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Take the next step
Read the Newsletter: Explore previous issues of The One Thing to learn at your own pace and upgrade your marketing knowledge for free.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
Become a Client: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Take a Course: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.
Take the next step
Read the Newsletter: Explore previous issues of The One Thing to learn at your own pace and upgrade your marketing knowledge for free.
Book a Consultation: Schedule a one-on-one call with me to improve your marketing across paid advertising, social media, and more.
Become a Client: Hire our team to manage your marketing across streaming platforms and social media so you can focus on what matters most—making music.
Take a Course: Join the hundreds of artists who have successfully learned to automate their growth on Spotify using paid ads on Instagram.