Ignore Everybody

Ignore Everybody Plot Summary

Introduction

Creativity isn't just a gift bestowed upon a chosen few—it's a muscle that can be developed, a voice that can be strengthened, and a power that lies dormant in each of us. Yet so many creative souls find themselves stuck, paralyzed by self-doubt, overwhelmed by external opinions, or simply unsure how to navigate the complex journey from inspiration to meaningful creation. What if the greatest barrier to your creative expression isn't lack of talent or opportunity, but rather listening to the wrong voices—including sometimes your own inner critic? Throughout these pages, we'll explore how to silence the noise, strengthen your unique creative vision, and build the resilience needed to sustain your creative journey over the long haul. The path to unleashing your original voice isn't about sudden breakthroughs or magical transformations—it's about making conscious choices every day that honor your creative sovereignty.

Chapter 1: Embrace Your Unique Vision and Ignore the Crowd

The most powerful creative ideas often initially appear strange, unmarketable, or even foolish to others. This isn't accidental—truly original work challenges existing paradigms and makes people uncomfortable because it alters power dynamics in relationships. This is precisely why original ideas face resistance at first. Hugh discovered this when he began drawing cartoons on the backs of business cards while living in Manhattan. "When I first started with the cartoon-on-back-of-bizcard format, people thought I was nuts," he recalls. Friends and colleagues questioned why he wouldn't try something more marketable instead. But what seemed like an odd, impractical hobby became his signature creative format precisely because it was uniquely his. The resistance wasn't surprising. As Hugh explains, "Good ideas alter the power balance in relationships. That is why good ideas are always initially resisted." When you present something truly original, you're not just sharing content—you're potentially changing how others see the world or their place in it. This naturally triggers pushback. What made his business card cartoons powerful wasn't their commercial viability, but the complete creative sovereignty they represented. Drawing on business cards required no permission, no funding, and no validation from gatekeepers. "It was so liberating to have something that belonged just to me and no one else," Hugh writes. This independence gave his work authenticity that eventually attracted attention. The path to embracing your unique vision starts with accepting that immediate validation is rare for truly original work. Instead of seeking universal approval, focus on developing what belongs uniquely to you. Ask yourself what creative format, style, or approach feels most natural and liberating—even if it seems uncommercial or strange to others. Remember that your idea doesn't need to be revolutionary in scale. As Hugh emphasizes, "Your idea doesn't have to be big. It just has to be yours alone. The more the idea is yours alone, the more freedom you have to do something really amazing." The sovereignty you maintain over your work will ultimately inspire others far more than the content itself ever could.

Chapter 2: Put in the Hours: The Marathon of Creative Work

Meaningful creative work requires sustained effort over time. There's an uncomfortable truth about creativity that's rarely discussed in inspirational quotes: it's largely about showing up consistently, day after day, and putting in the necessary hours. Hugh addresses a common concern about his business card format: "I get asked a lot, 'Your business card format is very simple. Aren't you worried about somebody ripping it off?'" His answer reveals the real barrier to entry: "Only if they can draw more of them than me, better than me." The edge comes not from the idea itself but from the thousands of hours spent perfecting it. Anyone wanting to copy it faces "many long years" of practice ahead. When Hugh began drawing on business cards, he didn't quit his day job to pursue some romantic notion of becoming a full-time artist. Instead, he maintained his corporate marketing position while developing his creative work on the side. This approach provided both financial stability and creative freedom. "The fact that I have another income means I don't feel pressured to do something market-friendly. Instead, I get to do whatever the hell I want," he explains. This dual approach allowed him to pace himself for the long haul—a critical factor in creative success. Many aspiring creatives mistakenly believe that one intensive burst of effort will launch their careers. Hugh directly challenges this: "People think all they need to do is endure one crazy, intense, job-free creative burst and their dreams will come true. They are wrong, they are stupidly wrong." To develop your own creative marathon mindset, start by finding those one or two hours each day that belong only to you. Protect this time fiercely. Understand that excellence in any creative field appears effortless precisely because of the countless hours of practice behind it. As Hugh puts it, "Being good at anything is like figure skating—the definition of being good at it is being able to make it look easy. But it never is easy. Ever." The path forward is simple but demanding: identify your daily creative time, show up consistently even when inspiration feels distant, and trust that the accumulated hours will eventually yield results that no sudden creative burst could produce.

Chapter 3: Maintain Your Creative Sovereignty

Creative sovereignty—the ability to control what you create and how you create it—stands as perhaps the most valuable asset for any creative person. Yet maintaining this sovereignty while building a career represents one of the greatest challenges creators face. Hugh discovered this tension early in his career when he was offered a substantial publishing deal. After reviewing the contract, he asked for clarifications on certain points. When the publisher never responded, the deal died. This revealed an important truth: "They just assumed I must be like all the other people they represent—hungry and desperate and willing to sign anything," he reflects. The publisher wanted complete control while offering little in return. This experience taught Hugh that "publishers are just middlemen. That's all." They serve a function, but the real power should remain with the creator. By the time he eventually found publishers he wanted to work with, he'd already built his audience through blogging and other channels. His independence gave him leverage to negotiate better terms. The key to maintaining creative sovereignty lies in what Hugh calls "the red line"—the boundary between what you're willing to do and what you're not. "The most important thing a creative person can learn professionally is where to draw the red line that separates what you are willing to do from what you are not," he writes. This line defines your creative domain and determines what compromises you'll accept. Many creators suffer unnecessarily because they haven't clearly established their red lines. Hugh observes: "When I see somebody 'suffering for their art,' it's usually a case of their not knowing where that red line is, not knowing where the sovereignty lies." Whether in film, writing, or business, creators often expect gatekeepers to protect their vision, only to be disappointed when commercial pressures lead to compromises. To maintain your own creative sovereignty, start by identifying your non-negotiables—aspects of your work you refuse to compromise on regardless of potential financial reward. Build direct relationships with your audience whenever possible, reducing dependence on intermediaries. And perhaps most importantly, develop multiple income streams so no single client or opportunity has excessive leverage over your creative decisions. The internet has transformed the sovereignty equation, allowing creators to build their own platforms and audiences. This doesn't mean rejecting all partnerships, but rather ensuring you enter them from a position of strength rather than desperation.

Chapter 4: Balance Passion and Practicality

Creative success requires navigating the eternal tension between artistic passion and practical realities. Hugh captures this challenge perfectly in what he calls "The Sex & Cash Theory"—the recognition that creative people typically juggle two kinds of work: the sexy, creatively fulfilling projects they love (Sex) and the practical work that reliably pays the bills (Cash). Consider Phil, a New York photographer friend Hugh mentions, who shoots experimental work for hip magazines that builds his portfolio but pays almost nothing, then balances this with commercial catalog shoots that fund his life. Or Martin Amis, who writes serious novels but supplements his income with newspaper articles and television appearances. This pattern repeats across creative fields—actors alternating between artistic indie films and commercial blockbusters, painters creating both personal work and commercial pieces. Hugh insists this duality "will never be transcended." Attempting to escape it entirely—quitting your day job prematurely to pursue only passion projects—typically leads to failure. "It's the people who refuse to cleave their lives this way... who never make it," he observes. Accepting this reality often accelerates career progress, though Hugh admits he doesn't fully understand why. The dual approach offers significant advantages. Hugh's corporate work provided not just financial stability but real-world connection. "Keeping one foot in the 'real world' makes everything far more manageable for me," he writes. His day job gave him "something productive and interesting to do among fellow adults" while preventing the isolation that can come from pursuing creative work exclusively. Finding your own sustainable balance might mean: 1. Reframing "day jobs" not as distractions from your creative path but as enablers that fund your artistic freedom 2. Being strategic about which practical work you accept, choosing opportunities that either complement your creative skills or leave enough mental energy for your passion projects 3. Managing your schedule to create clear boundaries between commercial and personal work The ultimate goal isn't eliminating the tension between passion and practicality but developing a healthy relationship with it. As Hugh advises, "As soon as you accept this, I mean really accept this, for some reason your career starts moving ahead faster." Remember that even the most successful creators maintain this balance in some form. The specific proportion may change over time, but the fundamental duality remains a constant companion throughout a creative life.

Chapter 5: Create Your Own Path, Not Someone Else's

Many creative dreams die not because of lack of talent, but because people follow crowded, conventional paths instead of forging their own. The result is a sea of talented individuals all competing for the same limited opportunities rather than creating new possibilities. Hugh describes this pattern through "Ted," a young hopeful arriving in the big city with dreams of making it as an artist, writer, or filmmaker. Ted follows the standard template—write a novel, get discovered, publish a bestseller, sell movie rights, retire rich. The problem? "There's probably three million other novelists/actors/musicians/painters/dreamers with the same plan," Hugh notes. Despite this, Ted believes he's special and will somehow defy the odds. Hugh avoided this trap with his business card cartoons by never trying to follow established routes to success. He wasn't attempting to get into galleries or build a traditional art career. He simply created something that amused him, with no commercial incentive or larger agenda governing his actions. "If I wanted to draw on the back of a business card instead of a 'proper' medium, I could," he recalls. "There was no flashy media or publishing executive to keep happy." This freedom from conventional expectations ultimately gave his work its edge. Without trying to conform to existing markets or expectations, he could develop something genuinely original. When success eventually came, it arrived from an unexpected direction—not through traditional art channels but through his blog and the internet. The principle extends beyond art to entrepreneurship and other creative fields. Hugh advises: "Your plan for getting your work out there has to be as original as the actual work, perhaps even more so. The work has to create a totally new market." Following the same path as thousands of others means competing in an oversaturated market rather than creating your own space. To create your own path: 1. Question whether your current approach follows a well-trodden route or breaks new ground 2. Ask how much freedom your chosen path affords you to develop work on your own terms 3. Be willing to combine different disciplines, formats or approaches in ways others haven't attempted 4. Focus on what makes your perspective genuinely different rather than trying to fit existing templates As Hugh puts it: "If your plan is unique, if there's nobody else doing it, then I'd be excited. A little scared maybe, but excited." The fear that accompanies uncharted territory is precisely what indicates you're creating something with potential to stand out in a crowded creative landscape.

Chapter 6: Share Your Work With the World

Creativity reaches its fullest expression when shared with others, but the traditional gatekeeping systems that once controlled this sharing have fundamentally changed. Understanding how to effectively share your work in today's interconnected world is essential for creative success. Hugh tells the story of "Marie," a French friend who wrote a novel and spent months trying to break into the Parisian literary scene, attending parties and seeking connections with publishers. As a blogger, Hugh suggested a different approach: "Your book has thirteen chapters. Voilà! That's thirteen blog posts. One chapter per blog post. Put it online, and you'll have a book offer within six months. Trust me." This advice reflects Hugh's own experience. The book you're reading began as a 13,000-word essay on his blog that was downloaded about a million times before publishers approached him. He didn't wait for permission or validation from traditional gatekeepers—he simply published his ideas directly to an audience. This approach works across creative fields. Hugh suggests that if he were a painter today, he "wouldn't move to New York and wait tables for ten years, trying to find an art gallery." Instead, he would "post the paintings online, build up a large enough audience, and eventually the sales will come." The key insight is that building your audience first reverses the traditional power dynamic with gatekeepers. However, Hugh cautions that this approach requires patience and consistency: "It usually takes a couple of years of continual posting to build up enough trust to where people are willing to invest in you financially." The process isn't instantaneous, but it's often faster and more reliable than waiting for traditional discovery. For those concerned about giving away their work for free, Hugh emphasizes that sharing actually creates opportunities rather than diminishing them. By building an audience first, creators find themselves in a stronger position when negotiating with publishers, galleries, or other traditional channels. To effectively share your work: 1. Choose platforms that align with your creative medium and where your potential audience already gathers 2. Share consistently over time rather than sporadically 3. Focus on building direct connections with your audience rather than seeking institutional validation 4. Be patient—audience building is cumulative and compounds over time The fundamental principle is that your plan for sharing your work must be as creative as the work itself. In Hugh's words, "All existing business models are wrong. Find a new one."

Chapter 7: Find Joy in the Journey, Not Just the Destination

Creative success often looks different than expected, arriving from unexpected directions and bringing challenges along with rewards. Finding lasting fulfillment requires focusing on the journey itself rather than fixating solely on specific outcomes. Hugh reflects on his decade-long path with the business card cartoons: "If I had known it would take this long, would I have bothered in the first place?" His honest answer reveals an important truth: "None of this is sensible. None of it ever was." The creative journey rarely follows logical timelines or predictable paths. The unexpected nature of creative success appears throughout Hugh's story. He never intended to become a professional cartoonist or an "internet jockey." Yet these two interests combined to create something unique that ultimately provided both creative fulfillment and financial success. As he puts it, "If you are successful, it'll never come from the direction you predicted." This unpredictability means attaching too firmly to specific outcomes often leads to disappointment. Hugh cautions against becoming "a slave to your dreams," which can paradoxically "kill them off prematurely, before they get the chance to come true." Dreams should be nurtured and respected, but holding them too tightly prevents them from evolving in unexpected directions. The joy in the creative journey comes from the process itself—the daily practice, the gradual improvement, the moments of flow. Hugh notes that even highly successful rock stars often speak most fondly not of their fame and fortune, but of their early days "when they were young, and inventing a new language to speak to the world with." There's something uniquely fulfilling about the creative process before external success brings new pressures and expectations. To find more joy in your creative journey: 1. Celebrate small milestones along the way rather than waiting for major breakthroughs 2. Maintain curiosity about where your path might lead rather than insisting on predetermined outcomes 3. Cultivate relationships with fellow creators who understand the challenges of the creative life 4. Remember that even apparent failures often provide valuable lessons and unexpected opportunities The ultimate fulfillment comes not from reaching a specific destination but from living a creative life aligned with your values. As Hugh summarizes near the end of the book: "Work hard. Keep at it. Live simply and quietly. Remain humble. Stay positive. Create your own luck. Be nice. Be polite." These simple principles, practiced daily, form the foundation of a creatively fulfilling life regardless of external measures of success.

Summary

The journey of unleashing your creative voice demands both courage and persistence. Throughout these pages, we've seen that originality often faces initial resistance, that meaningful work requires countless hours of practice, and that maintaining creative sovereignty requires drawing clear boundaries. The most powerful insight may be Hugh's observation that "dreams have a life of their own, and they're not very good at following instructions." True creative fulfillment comes not from rigidly pursuing predetermined outcomes but from nurturing your unique vision while remaining open to unexpected possibilities. The path forward isn't complicated, though it requires daily commitment. Start by carving out regular time for your creative work, ignoring external voices that don't serve your vision, and building direct connections with your audience. Remember that your creative sovereignty is non-negotiable, and that joy comes from the journey itself rather than distant destinations. As Hugh so perfectly puts it: "The sovereignty you have over your work will inspire far more people than the actual content ever will." Begin today by taking one small action that honors your original voice.

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Hugh MacLeod

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