Keep Grinding Quietly
Most of us live out loud. Our social media feeds are like film reels of our lives. We post selfies at the gym, snapshots of nights out with friends, and sometimes even our most intimate thoughts. We set goals or intentions for the new year and eagerly share them with friends, family, and the internet. It feels like our experiences and accomplishments don’t truly count unless everyone knows about them.
But what if the most powerful moments in your life are the ones no one ever sees?
Frederick Douglass once wrote, “The midnight sky and the silent stars have been the witnesses of your devotion.”
This line has lingered in my mind, urging me to reflect on its deeper meaning. There’s a profound beauty in working quietly, under the watchful eye of only yourself. It’s a form of devotion—an intimate, sacred commitment to growth that needs no audience.
The Power of Quiet Effort
Quiet effort is transformative. It builds something within you that public displays of hustle can never match: discipline and integrity. When you grind quietly, you’re not doing it for likes, applause, or validation. You’re doing it for your own growth.
My son is a testament to this. As a teenager, he asked us to build a wooden platform for him to practice his craft. We set it up in the basement storage room, and that’s where he spent countless hours—alone. Day in and day out, he worked on his skills, doing the reps no one else could see. There were moments of frustration when he couldn’t hit the notes he wanted or get the choreography right, but he kept going. Fast forward to today, and he’s on a National Tour with a Broadway musical. The success he is enjoying today was forged in the solitude of that basement.
Comedian Nikki Glaser practiced her Golden Globe opening monologue 93 times before delivering to the world. Her delivery was flawless, and people are calling her an overnight success, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Glaser started doing stand-up at age 18. She’s 40. People “discovered” her because of her performance at the Tom Brady Roast in 2024.
Quiet effort isn’t glamorous. All the grinding and hustling behind the scenes is messy, painful, and often filled with moments when giving up seems easier than pressing on. But it’s also real, and it’s powerful.
The Temptation of Visibility
In a world where every step of the journey is documented and shared, the temptation to announce our every move can be overwhelming. Social media glorifies transparency, but there’s a downside: sharing too soon can dilute the focus and commitment to your goal.
When we tell the world about our aspirations, we risk prioritizing how our efforts look over the work itself. It’s easy to get swept up in crafting a narrative instead of doing the gritty, unglamorous work.
But keeping things private allows for uninterrupted progress. Imagine the addict who chooses not to broadcast their battle with sobriety. The temptation to share their “day one” or their milestones might be strong, but the real fight happens in silence—turning down a drink at a party, resisting the pull of old habits when no one’s around to cheer them on.
Transformation Happens in the Dark
Transformation is like a seed growing underground. For weeks, months, or even years, nothing seems to be happening. But beneath the surface, roots are taking hold, and the foundation for something incredible is being built.
The same is true of the midnight grind—the long hours spent working on your craft, battling your own mind, or overcoming personal struggles. No one sees the discomfort of waking up before dawn to hit the gym, pushing through aching muscles, or forcing yourself to show up when you’d rather stay on the couch. No one witnesses the mental wars of the writer staring at a blank page for hours, rewriting the same sentence ten times until it feels right.
And no one sees the addict fighting their demons. Every time they resist the pull of a drink or substance; they face a storm inside their mind that no one else can fully understand. The pain of transformation is personal, often isolating, and deeply torturous. But all this unseen effort is what creates real, lasting change.
The Surprise of Emergence
One day, you’ll emerge on the other side of your grind, transformed. To the outside world, it might seem sudden, as if you’ve achieved success overnight. But you’ll know the truth. You’ll remember every moment of doubt, every step of discomfort, and every ounce of effort that brought you here.
There’s an unmatched satisfaction in seeing the fruits of your labor and knowing you didn’t need anyone else’s approval to get there. When you grind quietly, your transformation is for you and no one else. That’s a power no one can take away.
I think of a friend who battled for years to lose weight. Every workout was an act of rebellion against the voice in her head telling her she’d never succeed. She didn’t post her progress online or seek public validation. She simply showed up, day after day, and faced the mirror with quiet determination. When she finally reached her goal, the world saw the physical change, but only she knew the mental transformation it took to get there.
Practical Advice: How to Grind Quietly
If you’re ready to embrace the power of quiet work, here are a few practical steps to guide you:
- Set clear goals and milestones for yourself, not others. Define what success looks like for you and keep it personal. This is your journey, not a performance.
- Resist the urge to share progress prematurely. Celebrate your wins privately. Announcing your goals too early can create a false sense of accomplishment that saps your motivation.
- Create systems of accountability. Use a journal, a checklist, or a progress tracker to hold yourself accountable. Your dedication doesn’t need an audience—it needs consistency.
- Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge the progress you’re making, even if it’s invisible to others. Those small, private victories add up.
- Focus on the process, not the outcome. The journey is where growth happens. Fall in love with the work itself, and the results will follow.
Call to Action: Let the Stars Be Your Witnesses
Frederick Douglass’s words remind us that our silent efforts are never wasted. The midnight sky and the silent stars are witnesses to your devotion, even when no one else is. So, keep grinding quietly. Don’t seek applause or validation. Commit to your growth, knowing that the results will speak for themselves when the time is right.
I challenge you to pick one goal and work on it in silence. Let it be your secret. Trust the process. And when you emerge transformed, you won’t need to say a word. Your actions will tell the story for you.
Keep on disrupting, my fellow disrupters!
Onward and upward,
Kristen
P.S. You can listen to (or watch) Chris and I discuss the content of this blog here:
Or on Apple Podcasts here.
