15 Comments
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Srushti's avatar

Yeah , it was really good reading this. It made me think a lot . Thanks for posting this....

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Namit H's avatar

I'm glad you liked it. Thank you!! :)

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Maanav's avatar

Ouch. This one really makes me think.

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Namit H's avatar

I'll take that as a compliment :/

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Maanav's avatar

Very much meant as a compliment :)

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Binu Sivan's avatar

Namit, glad you are back, bravely sharing your writing. This piece resonates deeply. It is amazing how we all think we are alone in, and with, our insecurities, but then you read something or hear something and realise that most people feel like you do.

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Namit H's avatar

Yes, that's been my learning too from the last two posts. Everyone feels the same at some point. All the more reason to appreciate each other a little more :)

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Avinash Shenoy's avatar

Hard relate. This is such a lovely post.

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Namit H's avatar

Thank you, Avinash :)

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Rakhi Kurup's avatar

Aww Namit. This is so wonderfully written. Such deep insights. In my mind I keep planning to write about Substack sometime in the future because of what it is doing to my mind ( I just joined in Oct). But, I am so very sure that I can never find the words that you have so beautifully written.

So many things in here, I should just bookmark it to come back and read again and again and again.

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Namit H's avatar

Thank you, Rakhi. I'm so glad that it resonates with you. I look forward to reading something from you soon :)

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Rohan Banerjee's avatar

Namit, this is a wonderful, honest piece. So much of what you're written echoes my own feelings about writing: the obsession with Substack metrics (likes, subscriptions, etc.), the need for validation, the comparisons with others.

You've figured your own way out of this vortex - which is great! - but the one thing that helped me was to just write the next piece. The act of writing - of trying new things, failing, learning - makes everything else unimportant. Here's hoping we get better at ignoring the distractions and focussing on what matters. :)

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Nihil's avatar

What a powerful reflection! Your words resonate deeply with the internal tug-of-war so many writers face—seeking authenticity while wrestling with the noise of external validation. I was stuck in a similar trap with Twitter and Instagram, trying to create content that could get traction. I gave up and realised that the journey to finding and embracing your voice, even in its raw and imperfect form, is both brave and liberating.

Here’s to writing for ourselves first and letting the rest follow—or not. Either way, the voice that matters most is ours.

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Namit H's avatar

And you write beautifully. I loved your first write up and have bookmarked the second. This noise stops us from sharing so much amazing things with the world, no? Yes, to writing for ourselves!

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Nikita's avatar

I was smiling while reading this. Such an encouraging piece. "We all glow." I will make my best effort to remember this!

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