" The feeling of being owed will destroy our ability to do generous work. If the audience delivers a standing ovation because they’re supposed to, it’s hardly worth listening to or remembering. That’s because working in anticipation of what we’ll get in return takes us out of the world of self-trust and back into the never-ending search for reassurance and the perfect outcome. We believe that we need a guarantee, and that the only way to get that guarantee is with external feedback and results. It draws our eye to the mirror instead of the work. Gratitude isn’t a problem. But believing we’re owed gratitude is a trap. The feeling of being owed (whether it’s true or not) is toxic. Our practice demands we reject it. "

― Seth Godin , The Practice: Shipping Creative Work