We think rejection is the thing that happens all the time, so what happens is that so many people guide their life based on this fear that they’re going to be rejected, so they don’t take action and don’t start new things or chase their dreams because they’re worried about what other people are going to think.
You have to realize that rejection actually barely ever happens. We fear it because when we were young and it happened, it felt so real and so big, but come on. As we get older we have to gain that greater sense of awareness and maturity that says, “I am my own person. I’m going to be myself regardless.”
Let’s have a higher ambition for ourselves as human beings to allow ourselves the freedom to be who we are, to genuinely express ourselves.
I’m not going to limit my service or message to the world, based on what other people think.
But, why are people critical?
Most people are critical for maybe four reasons:
1. Self Boasting
Most critics are braggarts. They like to say, “You’re not good enough. I do a much better job.”
Focus on your own thing. Don’t worry about the couch critics or apathetic advisors on the sidelines of life. They really have nothing to contribute to you. Unless you’ve asked for constructive feedback, don’t worry about it.
2. Self-Protection
The second reason become critics often is because it’s self protection. They’re critical of you because they see something outstanding, remarkable or different in you and they’re scared of different, because they’re comfortable in their own thing or it challenges their own beliefs and behaviors seeing you excel. They try to knock you down to their level.
Do you need to be concerned about those people? No.
3. Ignorance
The third reason people do it is because sometimes they’re just critical, but they’re critical out of ignorance. They actually don’t know you. They don’t know what you’re talking about. They don’t know what you’re doing. They don’t know anything about your area of expertise or the thing that you’re trying to share in the world.
So, why be concerned about what somebody who has no knowledge about you or what you’re doing has to say?
4. Protecting You
The fourth reason people do it is because they actually do want to provide value. They want to give you some direction to protect you and care for you, and they don’t realize that sometimes the way they do that, their tone might be condescending. Maybe the way they do it does hurt you or limit you, but they weren’t trying to be a tyrant to you, they’re just maybe a little unconscious or lack some emotional or social intelligence.
For those people, pity them and ignore the rest of them.
So, go give yourself to the world without concern about what the world thinks about you so much, because if you don’t, if you limit the expression of who you are and what you have to give in the world based on a couple people who might criticize you, what have you done? You’ve sunken below the lowest common denominator of mankind.
Go out and be great and never apologize for it.
* Source: Brendon Burchard – Fear of Rejection?