The by-product of pursuing your cause and rallying people behind it is attention. There will always be more people than you think, watching you. Every now and then, those watching (or stalking, if you are ever so lucky) you will be made or will make themselves clearly visible. For the sake of the cause the audience or crowd cannot matter too much.
The attention of the crowd(s) is a great thing if it converts to support for your cause. There are many heretics not satisfied with the status quo that are doing marvellous and commendable work that are not celebrated and acknowledged. Those heretics inspire others to become heretics in their own right.
Some heretics have been working harder and longer than some of the ones that get notoriety. There is nothing wrong with notoriety in itself. What you do with it that makes all the difference.
On the other hand, what will you do if notoriety never comes from your hard, selfless work? The danger with having an audience is when what you do is because of the audience. Everyone will get a chance at least once in their lifetime, to see a team member mess up on their game plan because of the audience.
You will see the rookie band member who overdoes his part because there is an audience. Or the football players who will not pass because he wants to have the audience focus on him.
The greatest heretics are the ones who do what they do for the sake of their cause.
They are happy to make a difference where they are without cameras on them. Your cause and its work must mean have meaning for you with or without an audience.
Heretics are heretics not because of the platform that their work creates for them but because the cause is worth it. Because the trouble is worth going through in creating a greater world, wherever their work may be.
True heretics will do the work because it makes a difference
When notoriety comes acknowledge it but make, sure it does not become the reason for your work. If your work starts depending on the size of your audience, when the crowds wane, so will your work.
Ship because it will make you better. Ship whatever you’re working on because it will change the world, despite being in an obscure place.
The reason for your work must always be what it is supposed to accomplish not the size of your audience. You must believe and see your cause making a difference whether there is a crowd. Do what you do for no other reason than for the sake of the cause. Be bold. Be /ˈherətik/.