Who inspires you? What ideals drive you to be successful or accomplish something you didn’t think possible? Whether it’s a personal or professional goal, we all need something to light the fire under us. Maybe it’s a doctor giving you an early warning about your health or maybe it’s the bully on the playground who said you were a “baby,” whatever spurs you on — find it and cherish it.
For many of us it’s finding someone who says “you can’t do that,” or “that’ll never work.” They may be right but most of us who’ve made our mind up about something are driven to prove this person wrong. As a child, hearing those words fires you up but somewhere along the way those “incentivizing” words have the opposite effect. We start doubting ourselves and our abilities and many of us allow those people to drive our own failure but at some point you step up and you realize that you are in charge of your own success. Success in life is not measured the same way it is in school with a prepared curriculum and measurement of concept understanding. You can fail and still (ultimately) succeed.
Embrace the person who tells you you’re doing it wrong. Cherish the board member who says, “We’ve never done it that way. It won’t work.” Value the person who speaks in absolutes. And then work your hardest to prove them wrong.
