If you want to change your life but you hesitate because you're afraid you'll fail or look stupid, because people may laugh at you when you make a mistake, because you believe people who make fun of you may know you better than you know yourself, because all your fumbling and stumbling may prove them right or because you believe to be successful you have to change the minds of everybody who judged or criticized you in the past, or even that you have to prove to them that you're worthy of success, then keep reading, this is for you...
If you can identify with anything I've said, let me burst your bubble because you need a reality check. No offense, but you've been living a lie all these years. You were deceived by people who let you believe they have power over you, that you can't be successful unless they like you and agree with everything you do. If you believe that, you are as wrong about them as they are about you. You don't need their approval to be successful, you don't have to prove anything to anybody, and best of all, you don't have to waste time trying to impress them at all. Know why? Because they're not your standard, that's why. They never were, and never will be.
Truth is, all those people who made fun of your uniqueness are envious of you. Why do I say this? Because you have the guts to risk failure to make your life better, and they don't. They wish they had your courage, but are too scared (and too proud) to admit it. They won't ask you for help, because they don't want to "lower" themselves to your level. If they were smart, they'd let you offer them a hand UP, instead of looking for the quick fix of a hand OUT which keeps them stuck in their mess, blaming you and everyone else for the misery they created for themselves. They hope nobody finds out how scared they are to fail, so they take the "safe" route and ridicule your efforts, hoping that you don't see behind the facade they've put up, trying to fool everyone around them into believing they are braver than they really are. Sort of like this:
You see, anybody can criticize. It takes no courage to mock, to ridicule, to second guess. Anyone with half a brain can do that. It takes courage to stand out from the crowd, to be different, to dare lay hold of the mighty when it would be so much easier to latch onto the mediocre. Everything about challenge arouses the senses, engages all the faculties of your being. About comfort and convenience, nothing of the sort comes even close.
"It is not the critic who counts, not the one who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who actually does strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly...far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure...than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in that grey twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt
You will never win somebody over who is determined to find something about you they don't like. It's okay, you don't have to win them over, you don't have to convince them to like you, or recognize your uniqueness. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks. Maybe you aren't their cup of tea, but so what? One man's trash is another man's treasure. If some people don't understand your motives for wanting success, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you understand your motives, and you will meet people during your journey that can appreciate them, too. There are people in your life who can't go with you on your success journey, not because you refuse to take them along, but because they don't want to go. Let them go. They are not entitled to go with you, and you're not obligated to invite them along. Truth be told, they're not meant to go with you; they'll only hold you back.
Finally I'll say this: whatever you choose to do with your life, remember that is truly is YOUR life. It doesn't belong to someone else, it belongs to you. Your life should be an expression of who you really are. It is not your mission to walk the days allotted to you on this earth as the embodiment of somebody else. To copy someone else is to waste who you truly are...and you cheat the people who walk this earth alongside you out of a chance to experience the greatness you hold within. Whether it's your personal life, your business life, your career, or any other part of your life when you have the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of others, they deserve nothing less than your best. Make sure they get it. And if someone in your midst doesn't like the way you sing your song, tough. Too bad. It sucks to be them, because they can't appreciate you. You bring a style, a seasoning to the dish called life that nobody else can bring. Dare to bring it, and when the critics start wagging their tongues think of this:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of someone else's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." - Steve Jobs
"Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small things, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you." - Jim Rohn
That's all for now, gotta run. Until we meet again, remember...
Keep it simple...See ya!
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