Outcomes shouldn't dictate your work ethic.

If you want to keep creating, of course.

For full experience we highly recommend going to your music provider and play “Orange Print | Larry June” (link to Spotify!) as you are reading this, promise it’s worth it. Ok back to the topic now!

Good Job Larry!

Tying efforts to results.

We often tie effort to outcomes because social media and culture reward visibility and validation. Every post or story isn’t just for friends anymore, it’s full on display. So there’s this instinct to perform, to show your best self to others, like a “modern take” on pack hierarchy (pack of wolves or something like that).

It leaks into your creative work, making likes and shares feel like the ultimate measure of value (Not The Case!).

When Mercer kicked off in November 2024, it was a weird space for us. Our work blended sharp storytelling with cultural commentary in long-form captions; content not made for instant clicks or viral moments, and if anything - goes against the algorithm.

Still, we kept showing up. Instagram now proved it with a special notification: 62 straight weeks of posting. That kind of consistency only works when you ignore the scoreboard.

Chasing metrics would have dip the projects before they even had a chance to breathe in the world. By focusing on the craft itself, the impact grew in ways that numbers could never capture. Substack and Instagram engagement, and what’s coming this year (some surprises!) aren’t rewards for us, they’re proof that showing up matters more than the possible applause. The work is about speaking your mind and creating something that lasts, not tallying likes like we in some competition.

Once you focus on the process itself, you free up mental space to explore what truly drives your work and the core message you’re trying to convey. You can refine your style slowly and learn without feeling rushed by nobody.

People will always have opinions! they’ll tell you what you should or shouldn’t do; but at the end of the day, it’s your project. They didn’t create it. Listening is valuable, but your pace can’t be dictated by anyone else. Tweaking your process too much creates fractures in the flow of your work, and those fractures are hard to fix.

Focusing on process lets you understand your motivations and what your work really means. It’s like driving on a foggy night versus a clear one; when you see the path clearly, you can navigate with confidence, rather than constantly second-guessing the direction.

Focusing on your process won’t necessarily land more opportunities, but it will bring the right ones at the right time. Honestly, not every project should be jumped on immediately, and rushing through the process or relying on outcomes dilutes your voice, whether you mean to or not. When you sacrifice the purity of your work for metrics, you betray your own standards, and that’s not a good outcome.

Timing is everything. For us in that moment is reels. We recently started sharing them, and the views haven’t even hit a thousand yet; and we couldn’t be happier. It proves that outcomes are secondary for us.

Those reels show that we’re willing to experiment and learn at our own pace. While others might chase trends and hype, we focus on what matters to us, even if it’s reflecting on shows from months ago, becuase we like it and it feels right.

Another example: about a month ago, we broke down a designer’s interview. Instead of chasing clickbait or rushing through, we dedicated an hour to fully engage with the content.

The result? Recognition from the designer himself. Numbers didn’t matter, it’s the meaning that did. Even if the post had only five likes, the experience was invaluable, because it was rooted in purpose and not hype.

By now, it’s clear that for creative success, work ethic should be dictated by yourself, not by external outcomes. If outcomes had dictated Virgil’s work, he wouldn’t have achieved the level of creative impact he has. As he’s mentioned, he works for the 17-year-old version of himself.

That’s motivation rooted in internal drive, not metrics or recognition. Focusing on effort, on what truly matters to you, creates satisfaction and purpose that no number of likes or awards can match.