Don't Wait to See What Others Do

Gandhi on Substack

Hey there, how was your week?

I know it was a big one for those of you in the US. For me, it’s been kinda chill, as I’ve been working from a house by a lake. This is one of the best things about having an online business, the ability to work from anywhere.

Mahatma Gandhi didn’t have a Substack publication. He was an Indian political leader who led nationwide campaigns for social good and independence from Britain.

But he did have a way of looking at the world that will resonate with you if you are dreaming of creating a lasting impact with your writing.

“Be the Change you want to see in the world” is a quote attributed to Gandhi and it’s one of my life mottos. I try to live it every day.

Here’s how I look at it: If you want to live in world where people are kind to each other, be kind. If you want people to care about the environment, take care of it yourself. If you want to live in a world where companies are less greedy, be less greedy in your own business.

Weirdly, when I went to find the exact source of my favourite Gandhi quote I discovered it doesn’t actually exist! 🫤 Turns out it’s a shortened version of a longer lesson Gandhi shared about the power of changing ourselves (actually he was writing about snakebites, but whatevs!)

Here’s what he actually said. I think it’s even better than the short version.

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him… We need not wait to see what others do”

I love this! Change your attitude and see a change in the energy the world reflects back to you. Make the world better by working on yourself. And - this is the best part for Substackers - don’t wait to see what others do.

“Do not wait to see what others do” Mahatma Gandhi, 1913

Every week I talk to Substack creators and newbies who want to copy what the most successful Substack publications do, so they can emulate their success. Problem is, the top Substackers are all doing different things. Some offer heaps of extra benefits for paid subscribers, some don’t, some publish more than once per week, some don’t, some paywall their archives, some don’t.

Who to emulate, then? Who knows!

My advice for this week is to create your own path. Explore the best sellers in different Substack categories (go here to browse), subscribe to their publications, make use of their free trials, examine their welcome emails and dissect their reader benefits like a forensic scientist. Make notes of what you like and what you don’t. But don’t try to shoehorn your own personality and passions into someone else’s system. And don’t wait until you are sure you’ve found the one true path to Substack nirvana, because it doesn’t exist.

Go your own way. If your way doesn’t work, try something different. That’s the power of being an independent creator: you’re free to make your own mistakes and follow your own path to making a better world for yourself and your readers.

Most importantly, don’t wait to see what others do, get started with something of your own, and start creating positive changes in your world and the world of your readers.

Thanks, Gandhi!

Namaste.