Why You Need to Make Noise?

I used to think LinkedIn was the most cringe-worthy platform ever created. Like, seriously — what’s with the virtual applause for the most random stuff? You see posts like:

“Today, I successfully changed the bathroom lamp. The operation was delicate, but with resilience and teamwork, I emerged victorious. 💡 Feeling blessed and ready to conquer the world. #Leadership #Innovation.”

Meanwhile, I’m over here thinking, “Wow, Edison would be proud.”

For the longest time, I believed that real work spoke for itself. If you’re good at what you do, the world will notice — right?

Spoiler alert: WRONG

The Harsh Reality: People See What You Show Them

Here’s a brutal truth I had to learn: success doesn’t guarantee recognition. If you don’t shout about your wins, people will assume you don’t have any. It’s like building a spaceship but launching it from a random backyard without telling anyone — impressive, sure, but who’s going to know?

This brings me to Donald Trump’s story about a famous U.S. bridge (yes, I’m using a Trump anecdote, buckle up, btw I forgot the bridge’s name and am unwilling to google it XD). When the bridge was inaugurated, there was a grand celebration. Business moguls and political big shots gathered to bask in the glory. Cameras flashed, champagne flowed, hands were shaken. But there was one person no one noticed: the architect — the genius who actually designed the bridge.

He stood there, invisible, while others took credit for his work. That’s when Trump realized something profound: recognition isn’t handed out based on merit. If you don’t make noise about your achievements, you might as well not exist.

Elon Musk: From Invisible to Invincible

Let’s talk about the ultimate self-branding guru, Elon Musk. Back in the early days of Tesla, Musk wasn’t the founder. The company was started by three engineers — Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning, and Ian Wright. Musk was pouring his money, sweat, and probably some SpaceX rocket fuel into Tesla, but no one cared.

All the interviews? The founders got them. Headlines? Founders again. Musk? He was the guy in the background, like the nerd who does all the group project work but watches everyone else present.

But then Musk had an epiphany: If I don’t control my narrative, someone else will. So, he started making noise — sharing his vision, speaking for Tesla, and stepping into the spotlight. Now, when you think “Tesla,” you think Elon Musk. Most people can’t even name the original founders (and if you just Googled them, you’ve proven my point “bingo”).

Why Self-Branding Isn’t Just for CEOs

Now, you might be thinking, “I’m not building rockets, curing diseases, or designing record-breaking bridges. Do I really need to bother with self-branding?” Yes. Yes, you do. And here’s why:

The world isn’t fair — it’s loud. If you’re quietly doing amazing work while others are shouting about mediocre achievements, guess who gets the credit? The ones making the noise. And here’s the kicker: the world assumes loudness equals value, even when it doesn’t.

There’s a brilliant line from Austin Kleon’s Show Your Work! that says, “The world is noisy, and you have to be loud to be heard.” Self-branding isn’t about bragging or being obnoxious; it’s about ensuring your contributions don’t fade into the background.

Think of self-branding as creating a neon sign for your career in Times Square. Without it, you’re a coffee shop flyer on a telephone pole — valuable, maybe, but invisible to most people.

Some Nerdy Strategies to Get Started

Self-branding doesn’t have to feel slimy. In fact, let’s make it fun — imagine you’re debugging your own career code:

1..Write Your README File
Your LinkedIn, personal website, or portfolio is like your README.md. If it’s vague or nonexistent, no one knows who you are or what you do. Be specific, concise, and proud. Think:

• “Built a scalable e-commerce platform” > “Worked on a website.”
• “Led a team to win a hackathon by developing an AI-powered tool” > “Participated in a hackathon.”

You don’t have to be Elon Musk, but you do need to tell people you’re not just “the person who fixed the bathroom lamp.”

2..Push Your Updates
Don’t let your achievements rot in a private GitHub repo or a forgotten desktop folder. Whether it’s completing a project, mastering a new skill, or nailing a presentation, share it! People won’t magically discover your brilliance unless you put it out there.

Pro tip: Wrap your posts in a story. Instead of “Finished this project,” try:

• “After months of troubleshooting, I finally cracked this! Here’s what I learned…”

3..Create Pull Requests
Collaboration is key. Networking isn’t about schmoozing — it’s like asking for a career code review. Reach out to mentors, peers, or people in your industry. Celebrate their work too (but maybe skip the lamp-changing posts).

4..Handle Merge Conflicts
Not everyone will celebrate your success. Some will scroll past it, some will ignore it, and others might feel threatened. That’s okay. Keep showing up. Your value doesn’t diminish because someone else can’t see it.

Laugh, But Learn

Here’s the thing: I used to think the LinkedIn lamp changers were ridiculous, with their over-the-top posts about mundane tasks. But now I realize they’re onto something. They’ve figured out that self-branding is less about the size of the win and more about staying visible.

“Don’t just work hard — work hard to make your work seen.” I’m pretty sure I just made that up, but it sounds deep, doesn’t it?

Final Thoughts: Own Your Spotlight

The architect of that bridge deserved the applause. Elon Musk deserved the headlines from the start. But life doesn’t work like that. If you don’t make your work visible, people will assume you haven’t done anything worth noticing.

Yes, LinkedIn might still make you cringe sometimes, but it’s also your stage. You can either:

1. Sit quietly in the audience and hope someone eventually claps for you.
2. Step up, make some noise, and claim your moment.

As for me? I’ll be over here trying to write my next LinkedIn post without sounding like I just earned a Nobel Prize for boiling an egg. But hey, #ProgressIsProgress.

Stay loud. Stay visible.