#102: Should You Care About What Other People Think?

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“Should I care about what other people think?” is the question that will haunt you if you allow it to. It’s actually the reason that so many people don’t do what they know they ought to do. Do the questions, “Will people think that I’m not qualified to do this?”, or “Will people think that what I am doing is weird?”, or “Will people think that I am doing this to just show off?”, or “Will people think I am too young or old to do this?”, sound familiar to you? If so, you can fight the fear of what other people think with a better understanding of who you should listen to.

So, here are the three best ways to view what other people think about you, so you can make a bigger impact with your life:

First, know who you are and know why you were put on this earth.

You are unique and have something valuable to offer to the world. When I truly understood this, enough was enough. It was time to care more about my purpose than what people thought of me. I found that it is only when this mental shift happens that true success can happen. Until you find this for yourself, you’re just a puppet being controlled by everyone else but yourself. When you understand that you are living and breathing for a reason, you can then use your fears as fuel to do something great with your life.

You should care more about your purpose than what people think of you. Share on X

So, how do you find what you were created to do?

Know what you are good at, know what you are passionate about, and know what people need from you. If it’s a business you are creating, that last point will sound a bit different. You not only need to know what people need from you, but you also need to be able to charge people for your product or service. We all have to make a living somehow, right? You were created for something amazing, but you must find where all of these points connect. And when you do, you will make a huge difference in this world.

Second, know who you should have speak into your life.

Don’t think for one minute that you should be doing life solo. We were never meant to do life alone. Of course, ultimately the decision as to what to do in the end is up to you, but you should care what the people in your inner circle think. The advice of mentors who you have brought into your life to help you navigate your life’s trajectory matters.

Another way to know if you should listen to someone is to ask the question, “Is this person trying to help me become better or hurt me?” This is the filter I use when I toss a negative email or keep it. This is also the filter I use as I contemplate concerning myself with someone’s opinion or not. And you know what? It gets rid of about 90% of negativity in my life. Beautiful, right? Knowing someone’s true intent will let you know if you should listen to them or not.

Knowing someone’s true intent will let you know if you should listen to them or not. Share on X

I hate to break it to you, but there will be people who don’t like you along the way. There will be people who will tell you everything you’re doing wrong before they point out one thing that you’re doing right. But the people who only focus on what you are doing wrong don’t want you to succeed in the first place. You will know who wants you to succeed by the way they see the good in you before they ever see your flaws.

And third, understand that finding what other people think is an important factor in finding success for your business.

If you’re trying to grow your business, you better listen to what your customers and potential customers have to say. They are the heartbeat of what you do, and their feedback matters. Their input can actually make you better at what you do. If there is a majority of people who are unhappy with what you’re doing, it’s important to evaluate and reevaluate your work.

Can you become better? How can you become better? Those are two questions you can ask your client base and really listen to what they have to say, because your business success depends on it.

In the end, I would say that you should care what some people think, but it’s a balance. This being said, I believe that the blanket statement of “you shouldn’t care about what other people think” is only somewhat true. If you’re constantly wondering what people think of you, your own fear will be a detriment to your success. But, when you’re constantly seeking advice from those who have been where you are at before, you will find that you can actually benefit to find out what those people think about what you’re doing. In fact, their advice will most likely make you better.