The silence before the signal.

When you’re doing creative work and inventing something new, there’s this lonely space at the beginning where no one’s cheering you on. No feedback, no recognition, no affirmation. Just… silence.

When I started building the Thought Merchants website more than 10 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. For a while, I held back from posting anything. It didn’t feel “done.” It didn’t feel like it fully represented me. And then, at some point, I just said, fuck it.

I started putting things online, whatever I was working on. It was messy, mosaic, and totally hodgepodge. It was awkward.

But after about a year and a half, I stepped back and realized… there was something there. There was diversity in the work, and an identity was forming. Still, no one said anything. For a year and a half, there was total silence.

Then, out of nowhere, I got this email from a random person:

“I have no idea what you do, but I had to reach out. I love your work.”

That was the first signal. A year and a half in.

So if you’re starting something new—if you’re on your own creative path—remember: the silence is part of it. The signal will come, but not right away. You’ve got to keep going, even when no one’s watching.