15. Worrying What People Think of You
Believing in oneself is an important prerequisite for success. Most achievers have higher standards and set higher goals than the norm. Indeed, successful people are the ones who re-set the standards by which we work and live our lives. Achievers are far too busy working and worrying about other things to ponder about what people think of them. They live in a world where results define their reality, not impressions.
People who worry about the opinions of others will do whatever it takes to make others like them. They often do what other people expect them to do. This is the exact opposite of how achievers behave. In fact, the more individual and original the achiever’s goal is, the more criticism will arise along the way. Achievers surround themselves with positivity, rather than negative influences.
Anyone who does something different is likely to elicit criticism from one person or another. Only the act of doing or saying nothing will protect you from criticism. Again, this is not how achievers behave. Achievers are comfortable with uncertainty and adversity – two things they encounter regularly in their endeavors. People who need the approval of others are not able to live with either of these.
If an achiever worries what others think of them, it could prevent them from taking risks. But risks are an inherent part of any new enterprise or project. Since projects don’t always succeed, there is no space to worry about the opinions of others. It will automatically stop the plan in its tracks. Successful people will seek advice from others, but consider it alongside their own opinions.
