Most people won’t tell you this - but you need to hear it
I used to think the loudest creators were the ones winning.
The ones who were everywhere. The ones who jumped into every conversation, replied to every comment, and kept their notifications buzzing 24/7.
For a while, I tried to keep up. I told myself that engagement was proof I was on the right track. That the more I responded, the more I’d grow.
I was wrong.
Because while I was out there chasing visibility, someone else was building leverage in silence.
The Creator You Never See - Until You Do
A few years ago, I was at an event, surrounded by people I’d seen all over 𝕏. Big personalities. Huge followings. Masters at making noise.
And then there was one guy I barely recognized. No massive online presence. No viral threads.
But when he spoke?
Every major name in the room stopped to listen.
Turns out, while the rest of us were battling the algorithm, he was building things that mattered. Things that worked without him having to show up every second of the day.
He wasn’t chasing engagement.
He was leading conversations, not reacting to them.
The Engagement Trap No One Talks About
Most people think engagement is the game.
It’s not.
Here’s the real pattern:
You post something.
You check the likes. The comments. The reach.
If it flops, you adjust. If it does well, you chase more of that.
Before you know it, you’re optimizing for attention instead of mastery.
It happened to me.
I was so focused on how people reacted to my content that I stopped focusing on the work behind the content. I was responding to everything, jumping into every conversation, making sure my name stayed top of mind.
And yeah, it worked… kind of. My engagement numbers were solid. But my skills?
I wasn’t growing. I was just refining my ability to get attention.
That’s when I realized:
The people actually running the game? They’re not refreshing their notifications.
They’re in the background, building things that will outlast today’s algorithm cycle.
Lead. Don’t Chase.
The best creators aren’t the ones who win every engagement battle.
They’re the ones who create something undeniable… something that stands on its own.
That’s how the silent operator at that event had all the power. He wasn’t playing the same game as everyone else. He was building ideas, tools, and systems that people needed.
And when you create something people need?
You don’t have to chase engagement.
Engagement comes to you.
How to Break Free from the Engagement Trap
Want to stop chasing and start leading? Here’s what actually works:
1. Stop Optimizing for Immediate Feedback
Most people are addicted to validation. But the best work isn’t always the most liked work. Create things that will matter a year from now, not just today.
2. Build Before You Broadcast
If you don’t have time to build AND engage, always choose building. Let the engagement wait. What you create is what gives your words weight.
3. Make Engagement a Byproduct, Not a Goal
If you focus on leading conversations… on saying something worth listening to… people will engage naturally. You won’t have to force it.
Your Turn
Look at your last five posts.
Were you shaping a conversation… or just jumping into one?
Were you creating something original… or just responding to what’s already out there?
Now, zoom out. Look at your last month of content.
What percentage of it was reactive… replying, responding, engaging?
What percentage of it was directive… introducing new ideas, setting the stage, driving action?
Here’s the challenge:
For the next 7 days, shift from reacting to leading.
Day 1-2: Go silent. No engagement, no replies. Use this time to take notes on where the conversation is going.
Day 3-4: Build something. A resource. A framework. A deep insight. Something that can stand on its own.
Day 5-7: Post it. Then let the engagement come to you.
Track what happens.
Do people engage differently?
Do the right people take notice?
Does your work feel more valuable when you’re not in a rush to push it out?
Because when you stop chasing, you start building something they can’t ignore.
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