An author asked me if it was worth writing another book.
Pro: She gets to direct her time and energy into something she feels is worthwhile.
Con: The marketing part is daunting. Which part exactly? Reaching a large audience, she said.
This sparked (as things usually do) a deep (maybe, overthinking?) reflection that I want to share.
Isn't it a question every writer and artist faces in a world obsessed with quantifying success?
We are obsessed with numbers. We are obsessed with measurable outcomes.
Breastfeeding mothers know this too well. When we pump and measure, and put a number to our output, it can be very satisfying (or stressful). But why do we need to know? Isn't a content, happy baby (who's growing well) enough of a "measurement"?
How many books sold? How many likes? How many followers?
Aren't these all unnecessary numbers that either satisfy or cause stress?
The problem, my dear readers, lies in this singular truth: when we, human beings, the supposedly superior species, cannot quantify something, we consider it "insignificant."
But does everything need to be quantified? Can everything really BE quantified?
Can the effect you have on the people around you be reduced to a number?
Can understanding be measured?
Can faith be quantified?
Can we put a price tag on peace? (I'm seeing alliteration here. Let's see how far I can go with this.)
Can clarity be counted?
Can inspiration be indexed?
Does sincerity come with a scale? (Breaking up the monotony of the question style.)
Can wisdom be weighed?
Does gratitude have a gauge?
Can trust be tallied?
Can courage or contentment be calculated?
Can influence be evaluated?
Do dreams have a metric?
I can go on (and on), but you get the idea, right?
The basic truth of life is that your true worth is invisible to those who only want to count. And by count, I mean literally counting quantities, not counting as in what really matters. (English is weird like that!)
Hey! That adds to my point. The fact that "count" has become synonymous with value, when really, it only counts if someone counts it. Is that the only kind of counting we should count?
So if you write a book and only 100 copies sell, does that make it a failure?
Was that ever the point?
To me, it means that one person, with one mind, one heart, and one soul was brave enough to share their story and perspective with 100 people. That one person gets to call themselves an author, and that one person gets to share their life, and contribute to little lessons that seep in (and possibly help) or reshape perspectives. Now who's measuring that?
The point of writing and storytelling was never the number of copies sold.
Every lesson shared is a legacy planted. Oooohhhh! That sounds so poetic 😁
Let's break that down. If I share a lesson today, it may seem small and only impact a small number of people. But if my idea changes something small within them and they go on to share a little of what they learned through me, to others around them, that ripple effect doesn't show up on sales records, does it?
When did we start measuring everything? And, more importantly, why?
Even if you sell just 100 books, it doesn't mean you've touched just 100 lives. If you can change something internal and invisible, with possible effects on families, communities, and future generations, and if 100 physical books are left behind when you leave this world, wouldn't it be better than leaving nothing, just because you feared the sales wouldn't be "good enough"?
That's the real legacy.
The problem is, we've become prisoners of measurement.
If I don't make a profit, it's not worth it.
If I don't have enough in my savings account, I didn't work hard enough.
If my social media likes don't skyrocket, my voice is unheard.
Under 1000 followers = invisible?
It's this mindset that makes people count success by the number of rooms in a house, that final number in bold on a bank statement, the number of cars in a garage, the square meterage of a plot. It's this mindset (gone whacky) that makes people take out mortgages for flashy cars, and loans to live beyond their means, and endless credit just to keep up appearances.
And all for what? To count! To show. Because, unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen, showing has become the quantitative measurement of success.
This obsession has made us shallow, and distracted us from the greater purpose of life. It has weakened our Ummah and reduced our net worth. The world applauds what shows, and too few appreciate the things that don't. But falaah, true success, was never meant to be shown.
The street sweeper's work is important, but only noticed when it's not done. Does that make it any less important?
Those who prepare food, only for it to be eaten in half the time it took to make, and then digested and... well, you know where it ends up... Is that less important because it can't be measured?
The same applies to teachers who guide children, parents who nurture, caregivers who tend to the sick… the list can go on and on.
And the same applies to spreading knowledge and storytelling and… books.
The point: so much of what really matters happens without measurement and, often, without applause. Isn't it time we learn to value what's truly important, even if it never makes it onto the scoreboard?
And before you think we're handing out participation prizes here, that valuing all effort means lowering the bar or diluting excellence, let me be clear: recognising the unseen and unmeasured doesn't mean we settle for less. Excellence still matters. My point (somewhere in all of this rambling) is that excellence isn't only about what shows.
Our time here is limited, and so are the opportunities we get to leave something lasting behind.
The mission on earth was never for everything to count in the dunya, but to accumulate points for the Aakhirah, to offer our best work with sincerity and hope for the best. Ikhlaas, sincerity, is the foundation of our deen, and that too is something we can't measure.
So, to every writer who's wondering if they should or shouldn't, please do.
In words inspired by Gusteau, anyone can write. You just need a story. And who doesn't have one?
Dear everyone, please keep writing. Keep sharing your lessons and stories and perspectives.
Because some things can't be measured. But for every intention, Allah is keeping count.
Take the lessons Allah chose to give you,
and the lessons He chose to give through you,
and give them a fighting chance to outlive you.