Day 31 (thirty-one) of 365 days
The biggest travesty in the world is people preventing and limiting themselves from expressing who they are because they’re afraid of what other people think.
— Author
The fastest learners on the planet are children, and that’s partly because they don’t care what others think of them.
They have no shame around failing. They will fall 300 times and get up 300 times in the course of learning to walk, and don’t feel embarrassed; they just know they want to walk. As we get older, we have a harder time staying this open. We might take a singing lesson, or maybe a coding class, and if we hit a flat note or make a mistake as we learn, we shrink or stop.
To grow, however, we need to let go of the fear of criticism from other people. History is littered with examples of those who overcame the negative opinions of the people around them.
Most of us fear the opinions of other people when we simply think about trying something new. Public imagination is woefully underwhelming, and people have a hard time reconciling what they believe is possible with what is happening.
Here’s the truth, creating the life you want can be scary. But you know what’s scarier? Regret. One day, we will take our final breaths and not one of other people’s opinions or your fears will matter. What will matter is how we lived.
Don’t take criticism from someone you won’t take advice from. People will doubt and criticize you no matter what you do. You will never know your true potential until you break the unfair judgments you place on yourself. Don’t allow other people’s opinions or expectations to run your life.
From this moment onward say, “it’s not your job to like, love, or respect me. It’s mine”
