Participating in social media can be a strange experience. Don't get me wrong; it is critically important to participate professionally to establish your brand and expand your marketing reach. However, too often, we fall into the trap of incorrectly evaluating the ROI of our effort.

The trap is built into the experience itself; it's built partially to create an addiction to the platform. It's right there in the endorphin rush that comes from the likes, comments, and shares. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the feedback unless you allow it to be the only feedback you measure. 

Those heart, thumbs up and light bulb emojis are not a complete, or sometimes even accurate, reflection of your worth or the impact of your content. The popularity contest on social media can be deceiving. We're neither as beloved nor as reviled as our online scorecards may suggest. The applause of a few followers or the silence of others shouldn't define our value or dictate our self-worth. It's a mere glimpse into a much broader and more complex reality.