There’s something powerful about picking up the guitar, writing the words, and hitting record—even when it feels like no one is tuning in. The greatest artists, thinkers, and change-makers didn’t wait for an audience before they started creating. They played. They wrote. They spoke. They persevered against the silence.

Paul McCartney recorded McCartney alone, layering every instrument himself. Bruce Springsteen stripped it all down and put out Nebraska, unsure if anyone would connect with its raw vulnerability. Nick Drake’s Pink Moon was met with quiet indifference at first, only to become a masterpiece embraced long after he was gone. These albums weren’t made for applause; they were made because the artist had to create.

The same applies to you. Your words, your leadership, your creativity—it all matters, even if it feels like no one is paying attention. Keep writing the blog. Keep crafting the lesson. Keep showing up for your students and colleagues. Someone, somewhere, will be moved by your work when they need it most.

The silence isn’t a signal to stop. It’s an invitation to keep going. #LeadershipRiffs