Making decisions that people don’t like. I have made a lot of them, and I’ve had a ton of negative response for doing so...
“You’re so naive”
“You have no idea what you’re doing”
“You really don’t know how to do that?”
“Typical millennial… expecting everything without putting the work in”
“That’s a nice dream, but that will never happen”
“You are so unsociable”
“You’re charging way too much”
“You’re not charging nearly enough”
“That’s a waste of time”
“You’re too young”
“I would never have done that”
“You don’t have the discipline for that”
“That’s a horrible idea”
“That’s impossible”
I have been told all of these things, ALL on multiple occasions. Interestingly enough, some from people that hardly know me.
Everyone has their own opinions and not everyone’s going to like you, and that’s completely ok! In fact, it may just mean you’re finally doing something bold and important enough to ruffle some feathers. To be able to go against the grain of the majority opinion is no small feat, and you should be proud of yourself for doing so. It’s when you start getting it right and making a positive impact that you will notice this amazing shift from criticism to people asking you how you did it.
When making a big decision that others have warned me against, sometimes I am wrong and I come back with my tail in between my legs, but many times I surprise them. A lot of people only take into consideration their own experiences and try to place a sure bet on your fate. The thing is, they’re not you. Many times our similar experiences are totally incomparable.
The human brain is wired for routine. Routine gives most people comfort and less stress by having a familiar and dependable daily structure. So it's no surprise that breaking out of any comfort zone is going to raise some eyebrows when it's our natural tendency to stay in a low anxiety and comfortable state. Leaving the comfort zone usually implies increased risk to negative results. This often blinds people to seeing the possibilities of achieving above average, amazing results. Of course this will look different for everyone because everyone's comfort zone is different... What may expand your horizons can be completely paralyzing to someone else. What may seem natural or within your reach can seem completely absurd to your friends and family, and since they care about you they'll have no problem telling you that.
Now I’m not saying to completely ignore social norms and put everything on the line to follow your passion despite what anyone says because it’s way more complicated than that. I’m saying make informed decisions, do your research, educate yourself, follow market trends, stay innovative, and keep an open mind, but be stubborn when you need to be. You will probably be called crazy, foolish, naive, reckless, stupid, and a myriad of other colorful things, but don’t let that break you. If you are confident in your vision, push forward and discover for yourself if it will work. Don’t be afraid to be different or take a questionable path. A lot of people play it safe or aren’t willing to put in the work to see their dreams through, don’t let them deter YOU from doing so.
My point is this. No one else can learn these things for you, you have to put yourself out into the world and see what you can do, not what someone else thinks you can or cannot do. It is no secret that you cannot make everyone happy, but it’s way different when you’re staring straight at a real-life scenario where someone is strongly criticizing your choices. Just remember this: When you can’t make everyone happy, make sure you’re happy... you’d be surprised at what happens next.