Why do you do what you do?

Perhaps it’s a little early in this newsletter’s history to break away from providing value™ with actionable content™, but this has been on my heart lately, so we’ll have to file this post under deep thoughts™ and see how it goes.

As I was deciding whether or not to publicly brand myself as The Marketing Catholic and put this little inbox invader out into the world, the insecurities that have haunted my creative endeavors since I first started a Xanga blog back in 20041 began to rear their ugly head. If you’re reading this, you’re probably familiar with some of these yourself:

• Is anyone going to read this? Let’s obsess over your subscriber count, likes, and open rate.

• Do you have anything worth saying? Who really cares about your opinions or experiences?

• Are you doing this for the right reasons or is this an ego trip? Stop trying to be famous and “known.” You’re nobody.

• Do you really think you’re going to stick with this? You start so many things and give them up a few months later.

• You’re just going to embarrass yourself. No one will read. No one will comment. People will silently judge you for thinking this was a good idea.

This is either a shocking glimpse into my insecure psyche or perhaps you find yourself nodding along as the devil on your shoulder looks on approvingly.

But at the same time that I was facing down these Balrog thoughts, God showed up with Gandalf’s staff in the form of a variety of well-timed social media posts that encouraged me to make like a swoosh and Just Do It.

If you’re feeling like there is something creative you want to try—at work, as a side hustle, as a hobby, wherever—give a watch, listen, or read to any of the following and you may find yourself doing something crazy like starting a Substack:

I don’t know Max Haben, but I randomly encountered this post on LinkedIn. He is also in the midst of trying something new and wrestling with similar doubts. This video really resonated with me—and a lot of other people—as it served the purpose of both mentally clearing himself for liftoff and also just happened to jumpstart his new YouTube channel.

Aside from having cool punctuation in his last name, Silas is a gifted podcast host. It’s always inspiring to hear stories of struggle and triumph from other Catholic marketers and entrepreneurs, and these two episodes of the Catholic Founders podcast moseyed their way into my feed at the exact right moment.

I’ve known and worked with Rob for a long time, but I hadn’t heard some of the stories he tells about how he got Spirit Juice off the ground. I love his bold ambitions and mantra of doing the thing because you love it and you see yourself filling a need—even against your own better judgment or the eyes of the world if it feels like God is calling you to it.

I don’t know Marcellino personally, but if you’re involved in Catholic marketing, you’ve probably encountered him and his brother Anthony2 who are currently working on an against-all-odds production of a feature film about St. Maximilian Kolbe. Marcellino has a brash style that runs counter to my instincts, but he has a compelling attitude that leaves you feeling like you can change the world if you’re passionate and willing to put in the reps.

This episode also features a lot of good marketing tips and strategies that Marcellino has used for clients in his consulting group. While I don’t agree with all of it, there are a lot of nuggets in here. Not to be missed.

Thanks again, Silas, for hosting these insightful conversations!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that posts seemed to just be magically divinely appearing before me to embolden me to try something new.

This post from Tony Carr was a scroll-stopping smack in the face. Please do click over to read the original post in its entirety and give it a like if you like, but I wanted to share a compelling excerpt here. (Bold phrases are my emphasis)

Someone asked me for advice recently.

"I love writing. How do I build an audience and make money from it?"

My response had three parts. As everything should.

➡️ First, go on vacation. Before you leave on vacation, schedule your next one. Not relevant to the question. But it's part of my standard advice package. And it provides a third part so there are three parts.

➡️ Second, ask someone better qualified. If I had the answer, I'd have bought my own publishing house by now, which I'd use to bring thoughtful and excellent work to the world. Which might, but probably wouldn't, arrest the unfolding enshittification of how we think and communicate.

➡️ Third, change your goal. The best writing is not built for revenue, though it occasionally ends up there. The more pure an act of expression, the less it cares who approves.

The fastest way to kill your voice is to obsess about selling it. Write authentically. Before you have all the answers. Be imperfect. Messy. Ignore edicts of format. Treat "algorithm" as an epithet.

Sometimes, people will be influenced by or even like what you write. Sometimes they won't.

If they always like, your creative process is not pure enough. If they never like, you might be choosing the wrong adventure. If you're a fish, tree climbing is a dubious vocational choice.

The key is that *you* like. You know there is value. You hope others agree, but that's not why you're writing. You're creating for it's own sake.

When you get reinforced by others, it'll inspire you to keep going. We all need that. I certainly do.

But writing with approval as the goal is a cul-de-sac. You'll either fail outright because your writing will be poor, or you'll pander, and thus build something not worth possessing.

I want to get that last paragraph tattooed on the back of my hand so I can stare at it when I’m writing anything.

When it comes down to it, most if not all of my creative endeavors have at their root the desire to build something worth possessing that can be shared with others and make an impact to build up the Kingdom of God in our short time on this earth.

While these desires come from a place of pure gift—the longing to share myself and my God-given talents for His glory—they are so easily misguided by the negativity of self-doubt (not believing in yourself as being endowed by God with gifts worth sharing) or delusions of grandeur (an arrogant individualism that takes full credit for your talents, seeks recognition and fame, and completely sidelines God).

It is important to surround yourself with reminders that reinforce both sides of the coin: You are nothing without God, but since you are with God, you are everything. God wants you to share what He has given to you and what you have developed through these gifts.

This is true in all walks of life and all fields, but Catholic marketers are blessed with a special vocation to use their talents to directly advance the mission of the Gospel. It is a daunting burden as well as a tremendous opportunity.

I am recognizing that it is no place for fear and trembling, but rather discerned action and trust.

We have permission.

I’ll close with my favorite discernment prayer from St. Francis of Assisi:

Most High and Glorious God
Bring light to the darkness of my heart
Give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity.
Lord, give me insight and wisdom
That I might always discern your holy and true will.

What are you working on or thinking about working on? What stops you? What motivates you? How do you conquer your creative insecurities? What resources or practices have helped you to go forth?

Please leave a comment—and not to pad my vanity metrics—I’m sincerely interested in your feedback and would love to start a conversation.