Mark Twain’s Rule for Winning in the Noisy Digital Marketplace

Mark Twain once wrote, “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” That line reads like a strategy for today’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) entrepreneurs operating online, because an online business relies on constant feedback. Every post gets judged, and every price gets compared, so one comment can feel like a verdict. As a result, many entrepreneurs start building for reactions rather than results, chasing “likes” while copying competitors. They also bend their brand to fit trends, which weakens positioning and drains energy.

Twain’s point stays simple. When you approve of your own standards, you stop looking to the market for permission, and you start making steady decisions. You choose a clear customer, own your pricing, and protect quality and delivery. You also post with a purpose, so pressure does not lead your content calendar. The digital marketplace rewards confidence when you back it with evidence. Show proof with testimonials, demos, before-and-after results, clear answers to common questions, and end with a direct call to action. When you do this, you attract buyers who trust what you offer and build a brand that can withstand shifts in trends.

Approval from people comes and goes because algorithms change and attention moves fast. Therefore, you need an internal scorecard that keeps you grounded. Track leads, conversions, and repeat customers; focus on what drives revenue; keep vanity metrics secondary. Treat Twain’s quote as a filter: if you can't approve of your own business choices, the internet will decide for you.

Writer: Genevieve Sedalo(Ph.D), Lecturer, University of Professional Studies