Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
When I first heard this quote, I didn’t quite grasp the meaning behind it. I understood what it meant, but it didn't resonate with me until recently.
I’ve always had very high standards for myself. I would patiently wait for feedback about myself from my family, my friends, my teachers, my coaches, my co-workers and so on.
It was as if I couldn’t formulate a full opinion about who I am without hearing someone else’s opinion first.
I always needed that validation, and I wasn’t good enough unless someone else told me I was.
If I ever received negative feedback, or if someone gave me harsh criticism, I always took it personally.
Instead of improving upon whatever I was working on, I would scrap it and forget about it. And, for what? Because someone else didn’t like it?
What I should have done was taken that feedback and used it to my advantage instead of getting discouraged and giving up.
Once I stopped relying on the opinions of others and started becoming confident in myself, I was finally able to see my full potential.
Of course, we are always our own worst critics. Although we often seek out the approval of others, our opinions and confidence in ourselves are really the only ones that ultimately matter. Here's why:
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again
You don’t always get it right the first time. Rough drafts and mistakes exist so you can learn from them.
If it’s not good the first time, then work on it for the next time or the time after that. Strive to constantly better yourself for you, not anyone else.
Everyone has different criteria for what is good or bad
Beauty is in the eye of beholder. Like with art or writing, everyone interprets things differently.
Everyone has different standards for what he or she considers to be good or bad. Don’t take it so personally if someone doesn’t have the same taste as you.
Ultimately, you’re the one who decides
At the end of the day, it’s your decision and your life. No one is forcing you to do anything you don’t want to do.
If you let someone else’s opinion dictate your actions, how will you ever accomplish anything?
If you constantly need someone else’s approval, you may never get where you want to be
Take action and go confidently toward your dreams. You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you go out, into the world and get sh*t done. There’s no time like the present.
No one else is you
In the great words of Dr. Seuss, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
Each person is unique, and that’s the beauty of life. Why take someone else’s ideas instead of using your own? Be proud of who you are and what you’ve created.
It’s a representation of your personality, and if that isn’t good enough for someone else, screw him or her.
Sometimes, it’s hard to dismiss the feedback we receive from others, especially if it’s from a close friend or relative. But, you should never let anyone stand in the way of your dreams.
If you have a gut feeling that you are meant to be someone or do something extraordinary, then by all means, go for it. Don’t let anyone stop you or tell you otherwise. Dare to be great.
