No explanation or apology required

Our societies are built such that we are expected to think and behave in a certain way. We are somewhat conditioned to accept the opinions of others as important to our undertakings. And there are lots of those opinions. In fact, in our world today, if you do not fit in the mold, you are either ignored or belittled. It seems like you need other people’s permission to succeed. If you have a dream or ambition, and people get to know about it, they may tell you 1001 ways things won’t work. Unfortunately, many people have fallen into the trap, thinking that the opinions of the majority matter to their own conceived ideas. It is the reason a lot of dreams are aborted; why many visions are abandoned.

While it is true that we need to work with others to achieve something significant, every individual is still responsible for the fulfilment of their dreams. When your big dream or lofty aspiration does not make sense to those whose minds are myopic, do not let them talk you out of it. Most of the groundbreaking achievements in our world did not make sense at first, but someone decided to spearhead the unknown to do what others think impossible. After all, Napoleon Bonaparte told us that impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools.
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Here is the key. You do not need to explain your dream, vision, ambition, or aspiration for the whole world to accept. If it is big enough or seems incredible, they will reject it. Nevertheless, the dream is yours and not theirs, and only you are accountable for fulfilling that for which you are here in this world. If you truly believe in what you are doing, then you owe nobody an apology. Those who believe with you will gravitate toward you and become part of your journey, while scoffers will continue to grapple with reality. 

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Actions for the week

1. Think about something great that you abandoned because someone criticized you for doing it. Can you bring it back? If not, can you reconceive of something similar and go for it?
2. From now onward, determine that people’s opinions will not determine the trajectory of your life. Believe that you can reach your goal, step forward in faith and do it.
3. Whenever you have an opportunity to know about other people’s dreams, find ways to support them rather than discourage them. If you don’t believe in their dream, be neutral.

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A quote to remember
Don't waste your energy trying to change opinions ... do your thing, and don't care if they like it – Tina Fey

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Until another time,
Dele Ola, Award-Winning Author of Be A Change Agent
​Click HERE to learn about and get copies of Dele’s Books