EP 124: The Man That Sang To No One- A True Story

Last week I sent an email out about a memory that resurfaced after many years. After I sent the email, the message still stuck with me and will not leave me so I decided to expand on this in this podcast episode and dive deeper into this message. A memory I have carried a long time resurfaced again this week. I thought about this man many times before but this time it was different. When I met my wife, and before we became engaged, I was invited to go with her and her family to her birthplace in Ciudad Juárez in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. It was a beautiful place at that time. This was long before the notorious cartel wars broke out. This place is literally just a stone's throw away from El Paso, Texas in the US. There are parts of a highway that you drive down where the country of Mexico is separated by simply a very tall fence. You're so close you could have a conversation with someone on their side if you wanted to, or at least if you were allowed.

Back then the city was very vibrant, beautiful and active. There were many restaurants because what better thing to bring people together than food. One night we had dinner at a very famous restaurant not knowing that three years later we would be at the same restaurant where we would celebrate our rehearsal dinner, the day before our wedding. What struck me on this particular night as I was having dinner with my future wife and all of her family was a man on a stage.

There were a few musicians and him singing his heart out. What struck me was what he would say at the end of every single song: "thank you, thank you everyone for all your applauses".
But here's the thing, absolutely no one was applauding! Not. One. Single. Person. The only reason I even paid attention to him was because of what he kept saying about people applauding. I thought he was crazy. But what he was doing was teaching me a lesson that would take a long time to understand.

That was over 25 years ago! Yet that memory stayed with me and then it clicked this weekend. Let me explain, because there's a lesson in this. That man kept singing and singing no matter whether anyone was applauding or not. He still showed up even if no one listened, he didn't care that he was rejected, or anything else. He still took the stage and sang.

What about you? What stage are you avoiding? What is keeping you from making your dreams come true? Are you waiting for applause, approval, permission? Will you be willing to sing on stage even when no one applauds you? The truth of the matter is that:

• No one will applaud you
• No one will notice you
• No one will listen to you
• No one will care

I know that sounds harsh but it's the truth. It's the reality. But here's the one thing you have to remember. If you stay on the stage long enough and keep singing or doing what it is that you dream so much about and push through, then it's just a matter of time before:

• People will start applauding you
• They will start noticing you
• They will listen to you, and they will care

But you have to be willing to get on stage and do it first!

You have to be willing to pay the price of persistence, isolation, frustration, and much more. That's all part of the growth process. Too often people seek stages for approval and give up way, way too early. I'm talking about months or something just even weeks of trying. But let me tell you today that anyone you see succeed has been at it for years, perhaps even decades. There is no such thing as an overnight success.

Any overnight success you're seeing is the fruit of someone working hard for years and years suddenly reached the top and became notice. But behind that success is tremendous amount of work, paying, overcoming many beliefs and so much more.

What's your stage? Who are you trying to reach? What are your dreams, where are they? While I cannot answer this question for you, the stage is waiting for you. What stage is that? Whatever you decide that to be!

It could be speaking, podcasting, writing a book, creating music, standing up for a worthy cause you believe in and so many more things. But the stage is yours. Jump on it and sing your heart out! It doesn't matter that no one notices, cares, or even applauds you. Because at the end of the day, no one ever will if you don't get on the stage to begin with.

I'm Edwin Soler, your dream realization partner and this is the closing the 18-inch gap podcast. "I help professionals uncover the beliefs keeping them trapped in unfulfilling lives, so they can finally take courageous action toward the dreams they've put on hold and finally live a life of their choosing."

So, let's dive into The Man That Sang To No One- A True Story
More on the other side.

• Quote of the week: "A person of vision sees 'something' in the nothing that everyone else ignored because they were convinced of its nothingness."
― Craig D. Lounsbrough

Points covered: Here are some valuable lessons I don't want you to miss:

1. Detach Your Worth from Applause
A lack of recognition does not mean a lack of value. People often confuse visibility with significance. Focus on becoming excellent rather than becoming noticed. Recognition usually follows consistent excellence.

2. Remember Why You Started
When you feel ignored, reconnect with the original reason you began. Your purpose existed before the audience arrived. Write down your "why" and revisit it regularly. Purpose can sustain you when encouragement is absent.

3. Measure Progress, Not Attention
Attention can fluctuate, but progress is measurable. Track the actions you control instead of the responses you receive. Small wins build confidence and momentum. Progress is often happening long before recognition appears.

4. Focus on the Next Step
Overwhelm often comes from looking too far ahead. Instead of worrying about the entire journey, focus on the next action. One step completed is better than a thousand steps imagined. Momentum is created through movement.

5. Become Your Own Encourager
There will be seasons when nobody is cheering for you. Learn to speak life into yourself during those moments. Replace negative self-talk with truth and possibility. Self-encouragement is a critical skill for every dreamer.

6. Understand That Growth Is Often Invisible
Seeds grow underground before anyone sees evidence of life. Your growth may be happening in ways others cannot yet recognize. Trust the process even when results are hidden. Hidden growth often creates visible breakthroughs later.

7. Build Discipline Instead of Motivation
Motivation comes and goes, but discipline remains. Create habits that move you forward regardless of how you feel. Show up consistently even when excitement fades. Discipline carries you through the days motivation cannot.

8. Learn from Rejection
Rejection is painful, but it often contains valuable lessons. Instead of seeing rejection as a verdict, view it as feedback. Ask yourself what can be improved. Growth often hides inside disappointment.

9. Develop Emotional Resilience
Your emotions are real, but they should not control your decisions. Learn to feel disappointment without surrendering to it. Resilience grows every time you keep going despite setbacks. Emotional strength is built through practice.

10. Stop Looking for Instant Results
We live in a culture that celebrates overnight success stories. Most breakthroughs are actually years in the making. Commit to the long game. Patience allows your efforts enough time to bear fruit.

11. Stay Consistent When Nobody Is Watching
Character is revealed by what you do in private. Continue working on your dream even when no one notices. Consistency creates trust in yourself. The habits built in obscurity often support future success.

12. Improve One Percent Every Day
Massive change rarely happens overnight. Small improvements compounded over time create remarkable results. Focus on becoming slightly better each day. Consistency in improvement eventually becomes transformation.

13. Separate Feelings from Facts
Feeling ignored does not necessarily mean you are being ignored. Emotions can distort reality during difficult seasons. Examine the facts objectively. Clarity often reduces discouragement.

14. Keep Showing Up
Persistence is one of the greatest competitive advantages available. Many people quit right before momentum begins. Continue showing up day after day. Consistency often outlasts talent.

15. Focus on Service
When attention becomes your primary goal, discouragement grows quickly. Shift your focus toward helping others. Ask how you can add value. Service creates purpose beyond personal recognition.

16. Reframe Silence
Silence is not always rejection. Sometimes people are watching, learning, and processing. Not every impact is immediately visible. Continue planting seeds even when feedback is absent.

17. Remember That Most Success Is Delayed
The world often sees the breakthrough but misses the preparation. What appears sudden is usually the result of years of unseen effort. Trust that your work matters. Delayed results are still results.

18. Trust the Compounding Effect
Many efforts seem insignificant in isolation. However, consistent actions accumulate over time. The results you desire may be forming beneath the surface. Trust that today's effort contributes to tomorrow's breakthrough.

19. Become Comfortable with Obscurity
Every dreamer spends time in seasons where few people notice their work. Obscurity is often preparation, not punishment. Use this season to refine your skills and strengthen your character. Preparation creates readiness for future opportunities.

20. Keep Taking the Stage
Whether your stage is a podcast, a business, a ministry, a dream, or a personal goal, keep showing up. Do not let silence convince you to stop speaking, serving, or creating. Some of the people who need your message have not found you yet. Your responsibility is not to control the audience—it is to faithfully take the stage and give your best every single time.

"The world may not notice your effort today. They may not applaud your growth tomorrow. But if you continue to show up, continue to improve, and continue to believe in the value of what you've been called to do, eventually your consistency will become impossible to ignore. The dream belongs to those who keep taking the stage long after everyone else has left it."
Let me ask you again: What's your stage? Who are you trying to reach? What are your dreams, where are they? While I cannot answer this question for you, the stage is waiting for you. What stage is that? Whatever you decide that to be!

It could be speaking, podcasting, writing a book, creating music, standing up for a worthy cause you believe in and so many more things. But the stage is yours. Jump on it and sing your heart out! It doesn't matter that no one notices, cares, or even applauds you. Because at the end of the day, no one ever will if you don't get on the stage to begin with.

If this resonated with you then please reach out to me for a complementary Next-Level Dream Chat. It's only about 30 minutes to get started and get momentum working in your favor to get your breakthrough. If you want to take me up on this special offer then simply send me an email to edwin@edwinsoler.com It's that easy. I'll be in touch with you shortly afterwards. I can't wait to hear from you!

This episode was sponsored by my book Closing the 18-inch Gap and is available on Amazon. To find it faster, simply go to edwinsoler.com/book. That will take you to the book page where you can click on the Amazon logo and order your copy right away. It's available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible.

Thank you for listening, in the meantime, keep closing that 18- inch gap!