Fame is not my motivation

Touching a million people does not turn me on. If it happens in the future, I don’t think it will turn me on. The best moments in my life happened when I was alone—discovering a certain thread of thought (e.g., discovering Steve Patterson’s work), experiencing a rich cultural environment (e.g., seing Melaka), or being in nature (e.g., traveling to Palaui).

What turns me on is expanding my knowledge and experience of the world.

There is no need for fame or even public recognition if you realize that your life work is “how you live” (your example) and not what you share (the artifacts of your creativity).

Furthermore, since fame is an extrinsic reward, it is a fragile source for satisfaction. It is better to aspire for intrinsic rewards. The healthiest way to look at it is that fame is a by-product of authenticity and luck. But even if you get it, there are lots of good reasons not to be enamored by it.

Related to this discussion is Why does one opt to live in public?