How do I stop needing credit or recognition for the work I do?

This is where Rabia's example gets radical. She loved God without expecting love back, without transaction. She taught by being, not by announcing. For most of us, needing credit is actually about needing to belong—to matter, to be seen. That's human. But when that need runs the show, it exhausts you and makes your work conditional. Here's what helps: First, notice where the hunger comes from. Are you proving something to an old voice? Filling a gap in how you were recognized growing up? That's not weakness—it's information. Second, gradually shift the reward system. Get satisfying yourself with the work itself. Solve the problem cleanly. Make the thing beautiful. Teach it well. Feel that. Third, find your *real* community—the people who understand what you're doing without needing applause. They'll see you. You'll see them. That mutual witness is different from public credit. It goes deeper. Start small: do one project where you actively don't claim it. Notice what happens. Do the work for the work's sake, for one day. Then another. Legacy that requires your name attached to it isn't legacy—it's marketing. Real legacy is what survives without your signature.