"When you're working in front of an audience, you have incentive to excel"

In this quote, Dave Van Ronk is highlighting the importance of performing in front of an audience. He recommends that having an audience enjoying you can serve as a motivating aspect to do your finest. This is because when you are being enjoyed, you have a sense of responsibility to provide a high-quality efficiency. The existence of an audience can press you to press yourself and strive for excellence. It also adds a level of pressure, which can be useful in pushing you to go above and beyond. Overall, Van Ronk is emphasizing the favorable effect an audience can have on one's performance and drive to succeed.