Do not dim your light 
I had a conversation once with a talented friend of mine who had gone quiet professionally, no longer publishing or promoting his work. When I asked why, he said: “I feel like people already know who I am and what I can do.”
My reply was simple: “Yes, they know you. They admire your work. But people forget fast. You need to make sure your name stays present — not because they doubt your talent, but because visibility matters.”
Many professionals stop promoting their work once they reach a certain level of recognition. They assume their reputation will carry them forward or that their track record speaks for itself.
And while that might be true in the short term, visibility fades faster than we think. People are busy. Their attention shifts. New names appear. And slowly, your presence in their minds becomes less certain.
It is not about self-promotion for the sake of ego. It is about staying relevant in a world that moves quickly.
Just because someone once admired your work does not mean they will remember it when a new opportunity arises. Just because you were seen as the go-to person once does not mean your name will still be the first one they think of six months later.
Being good at what you do is essential. But making sure people remember that you are still here, still active, and still growing is equally important.
I have seen it happen more than once. Someone builds a strong reputation, gains respect, and then disappears from view — not because they have stopped producing good work, but because they have stopped sharing it.
Promoting your work consistently is not arrogance. It is awareness — making sure the door stays open before it quietly closes without you even noticing
They assume people will remember. They assume past success is enough to stay top of mind. But the reality is different.
In today’s fast-paced world, people are constantly bombarded with new names, new ideas, and fresh content. Attention is limited, and so is memory.
If you are not present, you slowly become invisible — not forgotten in a negative sense, but simply replaced by whatever is more visible in the moment.
I have also noticed how much we overestimate how known we really are. What feels repetitive to us — a post, a talk, a project update — might be the first time someone else ever sees it.
Or it might be the reminder they needed to reconnect, reach out, or refer us for something new. The truth is, repetition is not noise. It is what builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.
This is why I keep coming back to the idea that visibility is not a one-time effort. It is a rhythm. A habit. Even if people respect your work, they still need reminders — not because they doubt you, but because you are competing with everything else in their field of view.
The most recognized names in the world understand this better than anyone, and they act on it consistently.
Think of the biggest beverage brands in the world. These are names everyone recognizes. You could walk into almost any store and find them on the shelves. No one forgets their logos or their colors. And yet, these brands still spend millions on advertising every year.
Why? Because they are not just trying to be known. They are trying to stay chosen. They want to stay fresh in your mind, even when you think you are not paying attention.
Their goal is to reach the part of your brain that makes fast, instinctive decisions — the kind you make when you are standing in front of a shelf with a dozen options. You reach for what feels familiar. What you have seen. What has been present.
This is not about information. It is about mental availability. And the same applies to professionals, creatives, leaders, and anyone trying to build lasting influence. People do not always choose what is best. They choose what is present.
You may have already done great work. You may have earned the respect of your peers, built a solid name, or delivered results that speak for themselves. But the reality is, people will not always remember what you have done. They will remember what they continue to see.
Promoting your work consistently is not arrogance. It is awareness — making sure the door stays open before it quietly closes without you even noticing.
Staying visible is not about showing off. It is about staying relevant. It is about reminding others — and sometimes yourself — that the story is still being written.
If you disappear from view, your name slowly fades from the list of options in people’s minds. But when you stay present, you give yourself a better chance to be remembered, considered, and chosen.
So even if you have already reached the level of recognition you aimed for, do not dim your light. Do not assume your past work will speak forever on your behalf. Keep showing up. Keep sharing, engaging, and contributing.
Stay visible — not to prove your worth, but to remind others, and yourself, that your story is still unfolding.
Because sometimes, the only difference between the one who is remembered and the one who is forgotten is simply this: one of them never stopped shining.
• Firas Abussaud is a petroleum engineering systems specialist with more than 23 years’ experience in the industry.
