Ah, the fear of judgment.
A problem as old as time itself.
We're evolutionarily designed to be liked by our peers to increase our chances of survival in our environments.
Unfortunately, this makes us extremely prone to fearing what people think so much that we tend to avoid doing anything at all in most circumstances.
This only keeps us complacent in our current situations, unable to achieve anything worthy of note.
Are they really that important?
How important is winning to you?
Do you not want to be the main character in your own story?
What gives them so much significance that you're essentially frozen, unable to achieve anything you want to?
How long is the fear of judgment going to prevent you from monumental success?
When I first started this blog at the beginning of this month and posting about it on my personal Instagram, the engagement was pitiful.
I lost tens of followers a day, received some snide DM's like “what even is this” or “what are you doing? do you think you’re some philosopher now?”
It was nerve wracking to post for the first time to all my friends and family. I, too, was scared of the judgement I'd receive.
Then I realized, "what the fuck, how sorry am I to be scared of what the words on my phone screen will say. Are you a pussy?"
I've posted once a week since then with no remorse. People still judge and talk shit to me in person, but it doesn't matter to me.
I have a plan laid out for my future and the people who talk shit or screenshot and send my content in their group chats are just pointing themselves out as people who won't be with me when I get to my destination.
If you've ever considered starting an online business or posting about your journey online, chances are you're frozen by the idea of judgment.
"what will they think?"
"what will they say?"
I can tell you firsthand that you want people to talk shit about your stuff.
Firstly, it puts your name in people's mouths. This will get your first few posts a bit of traction and help give you faster feedback.
Secondly and more importantly, it points out to you exactly who isn't on your team. It makes it easy for you to see who supports you, even though you're just starting out, and who doesn't.
If you're letting people's opinions of what you do stop you from posting online or pursuing different business ventures, the only person you're handicapping is you.
Chances are, the person you're worried about only talks about you when they see your content on their feed. They have a life just as complicated as yours to worry about - I promise they don't actually care that much.
Sure, they may make a snide comment here and there or screenshot you and send it in their group chat, but that's pretty much where it ends.
If throwing away all your dreams and aspirations to avoid a little laughter from an irrelevant follower of yours, maybe you don't deserve the success you're hoping for anyways.
Might as well just give up.
Might as well stop trying.
All along the path to your destination, there's going to be people who either don't know why you're posting or are insecure about the fact that they don't have the balls to post themselves.
Just make the content.
Post it.
Repost it.
Who cares. You have a plan for your future and it most likely doesn't involve whatever person is going to talk shit anyways.
The moment you get over the fear of posting or pursuing things you want to achieve for the first time, the easier it becomes every subsequent time. I learned this first hand when I started consistently posting earlier this month.
Don't wait any longer.
How important is winning to you?
How important is success to you?
Is it more important than what Kelly from middle school thinks? ACT LIKE IT THEN.
You are the only person who matters in your story. What other people say about you should mean nothing to you.
If you put your need for acceptance over your need for success, you'll be complacent for as long as you hold that believe.
You know what you’re doing, and you have a plan.
They may be judging out of insecurity or ignorance - either way isn’t conducive to your plan.
Ignore it completely.
Realize that you will find your true supporters / friends on your journey of chasing your dream.
The ones who judge out of instinct are ones you want to avoid.
The ones who support just because they know you enough to trust that you have a plan are people you want to keep around for a long time.
Shift your perspective to view it as a positive thing rather than a negative.
For as long as you care what irrelevant people in your life think, you will make a grand total of zero growth.
If success means that much to you, take the steps required to work towards your destination.
I believe in you.
Hope that helps.
-Daymion
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