Don’t Let Them Stop You

Because They Can and Will if You Let Them

 
“Whatever it be, whether art or nature, that has inscribed in us this condition of living by reference to others, it does us much more harm than good. We defraud ourselves out of what is actually useful to us in order to make appearances conform to common opinion. We care less about the real truth of our inner selves than about how we are known to the public.”-Montaigne, On Vanity

They are everywhere.

The critics

The self-appointed and self-anointed experts.

The herd of epic proportions, with negativity and opinions to match.

But who are these people? Who are the people that will stand in your way as you seek to forge your own path?

Simple.

They are your peers. Your friends. Your family. Your teachers. Your leaders.

It is your best friend for the past decade who knows you better than anyone and who is convinced that this is nothing more than a phase.

It is your significant other, who thinks you work too much already and that another project, no matter how meaningful, is just a waste of time.

It is your parents, who want the best for you and don’t want to see you get hurt, despite the possible rewards that await.

It is your coworkers who believe that you shouldn’t spoil what you have by desiring more.

It is everyone who doesn’t want to lose so they won’t risk winning, no matter what is at stake.

Sometimes the hardest obstacles to overcome are not the opinions of strangers, but the opinions of those we hold dear and spend the majority of our lives with. Their words are like ice in your veins. Their opinions cut deep into your mind, where the wounds can be fatal to one who seeks to dream.

This isn’t easy to accept but it is the truth. As you begin to focus on your task, yourself, and your future, you will find the path is lonely and difficult. These difficulties will only continue to mount. Goaded on by the people that surround you, your mind will fill with questions.

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Πηγή: youtopianjourney.substack.com