You know, every time I sit down to record an episode of The Art Biz, I feel this pressure bubble up in my chest.
Like… this better be worth my time. And in order for it to be worth my time, it had better be worth your time.
You are busy. You’re juggling a lot in and out of the studio.
The last thing I want to do is publish something that feels like filler. Like background noise. Like another reel with lo-fi music and a cryptic caption—while you’re over there wondering if any of this is actually connecting to anyone.
No thank you.
I want every episode to feel like a deep breath. Or a permission slip. Or a really good side-hug with solid advice baked in. Something that sticks with you later when you’re brushing your teeth and thinking about how to show up for your work.
I love it when artists tell me they hear my voice as they’re working.
And that brings me to today’s topic—one I’ve heard come up again and again from artists in our community. It’s a fear of contributing to the noise.
That little voice that says, “Don’t post it. Everyone’s already saying that.”
“Don’t post it. I already said it before.”
“Don’t post it. There is so much out there that is better than this.”
Or: “If it’s not perfect, don’t bother.”
Don't post it.
Don't post it.
I hear this all the time from artists, makers, creative entrepreneurs—especially the thoughtful ones. The ones who genuinely care about the impact of their work.
So today, we’re going to talk about it.
This is for you if you want to share authentically but don’t want to sell out, sound fake, or feed the algorithm monster.
You’re not here to add to the noise.
You’re here to resonate. To be a beacon.
Let’s get into it.
Listen
Where the Fear Comes From
Here’s the truth: the people who worry about “contributing to the noise” are almost never the ones actually making it. Right?
If you are that self-aware, you definitely aren’t contributing to the noise.
Noise comes from shouting, chasing trends, and empty posts designed to manipulate or impress.
But if you’re someone who pauses before you hit publish … If you’re trying to be thoughtful, or honest, or useful … If you feel like your content should have a soul …
You definitely are not the noise.
When you speak from alignment, you become the signal among the noise.
And the fear you feel before you share? That’s a signal too. Not a stop sign—just a message from your nervous system saying, “This matters. This is real. Pay attention.”
That you care. That you want your work to land. That you’re trying to be intentional, not performative.
But sometimes we use “I don’t want to add to the noise” as a very elegant-sounding excuse not to show up at all.
Trust me, I’ve done it.
When you speak from alignment,
you become the signal among the noise.
Quality vs. Quantity
Let’s talk about this whole “quality over quantity” thing.
It sounds noble. Like you’re taking the high road when you say you embrace quality over quantity.
But if you scratch at it just a little, it starts to fall apart.
Because you can’t create quality in a vacuum. You don’t find your voice by thinking about it for two years.
You find it by using it. In your studio and when you take the work out of the studio and share it with others—in real life or online.
That doesn’t mean you post every day just for the sake of consistency. It means you show up for the process. You improve quality over time—through practice, through repetition, through doing the work again and again. Just like you do in the studio.
Some of my best posts? I wrote or recorded them in five minutes.
Some of the ones I labored over? Crickets.
That’s how this works.
If your standard for quality is “perfectly polished and universally beloved,” you’ll never share anything. How could you live up to that?
But if your standard is “true, useful, and aligned”? That’s a game you can actually play—and win.
The Perfection Trap
And look—I think we need to name something here before moving on.
A lot of the time, when we say “quality over quantity,”’ we’re not actually talking about strategy. We’re talking about perfectionism.
It just sounds better when we wrap it in honorable language.
But really? It’s too often used as a delay tactic. A form of self-protection. Because what we’re scared of is not being good enough. Or being judged. Or being ignored.
And I get it—showing up is vulnerable. Especially when your work is personal.
Perfectionism loves to masquerade as professionalism.
It says, Wait. Hold back. Make it better first.
And if you listen to that voice every time? You stay invisible.
What is Quality Content, Really?
Let’s break that down. What makes something quality?
To me, it’s not production value or polish. Quality means:
- Honest.
- Helpful.
- Inspiring.
- Resonant.
- Enlightening.
Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes it’s short. Sometimes it’s something you almost didn’t post because it felt too small.
But here’s the magic part: the stuff that feels obvious or boring to you? That’s often the exact thing someone else needs to hear.
The encouragement you give a friend in your DMs? That’s content.
The process you walk yourself through in your journal? That’s content.
The way you describe your work to someone at a dinner party? You got it. Content.
You don’t need to invent brilliance. You just need to pay attention to what you’re already doing—and amplify it with intention.
Because sometimes we’re the ones who need to hear our own message the most.
Trusting That Your Work Will Reach the Right People
You can’t control who sees your work.
You can tweak your captions, research hashtags, post at the perfect time … and it still might flop. Or it might reach one person—and they might remember it forever.
So instead of obsessing over how to “reach more people,” what if you asked:
“What do I need to say today—even if it only helps one person?”
And what if that one person… was you?
Because sometimes we’re the ones who need to hear our own message the most. And in saying it out loud, we make space for others to connect to it, too.
Your content doesn’t have to go viral. It just has to go out.
You don’t need everyone to hear you. You just need the right people.
And they can’t find you if you’re hiding behind a fear of not contributing to the noise.
A Few Gentle Shifts
If you’ve been stuck in “quality over quantity” mode or just find yourself not wanting to contribute to the noise, try these shifts.
- Shift from performance to presence.
You don’t need to impress anyone. Just be here. For yourself, for the work, and for others. - Shift from broadcasting to connecting.
Stop thinking of your posts or emails as megaphones and start thinking of them as conversation starters. - Shift from perfection to permission.
What would you share if you didn’t need it to be amazing—just real?
What have you been afraid to share?
What have you started but not finished?
Silence can feel safe, but it’s not where your people will find you and your art.
You Don't Get to Choose Who Gets It
You don’t have to post more or send more emails just to keep up with it all.
You don’t have to bow to the algorithms or pretend that every message needs to be hyped. (Please … Stop the false hype!)
But you do have to show up—with honesty, with trust, and with enough consistency to be reliable.
Because you’re not here to contribute to the noise. You’re not here to make the perfect piece of content.
You’re here for the people who are actually listening. The ones who are waiting—consciously or not—to be moved, grounded, sparked, or seen by what you do.
And here’s an eye-opener: You don’t get to choose who those people are. I know you know this intellectually, but let it sink in.
It’s not up to you to decide whether or not your message has value. It’s only up to you to honor it.
It’s not up to you to decide whether or not your message has value.
And if you’re ready to figure out how to do that with more strategy, more structure, and less
second-guessing …
Come to my Followers to Collectors workshop in September. We’ll build a plan that feels like you—and that actually supports your creative business.
And in the meantime… hit publish. Say the thing. You never know who needs it.
Related Episodes
These episodes also emphasize mindset.
2 thoughts on “It’s Not Your Job to Worry About Adding to the Noise (233)”
This resonates with me so much! Thank you
Rosemary: I am so happy this speaks to you. Thanks for reading and/or listening.