How many times has your mother told you that you shouldn’t let things bother you?  Your father made sure that you knew that names could never hurt you.  You swear that you’ll teach your kids to ignore what people say about them.

“Don’t listen to their hurtful words.  Don’t take them on.  Don’t let them get to you.  Ignore them.  Don’t engage.”  The people that say these things to us are trying to help us.  They are trying to make us stronger.

They believe that things that hurt us will weaken us.  They believe that negative thoughts will limit our performance.  They believe that the things that bother us will hold us back.

But, that’s where they’re entirely wrong.  It is understandable that the people who love us would spend their efforts protecting us from pain.  It isn’t unreasonable of them to believe that positivity promotes performance.  However, they may be promoting the exact opposite.

We shouldn’t avoid the things that bother us.  We should embrace them.  We should internalize them.  We should use them to motivate us.  When they doubt you, don’t ignore them.  Accept that doubt and use it to prove them wrong.

To achieve, pain is necessary.  Sometimes success requires harboring that negativity.  What they say shouldn’t be ignored, it should bother you every single day.  Instead of a disadvantage, it should be an advantage.  Engage those who believe you will not succeed.  Use their negativity to create positivity.

The things that hurt shouldn’t weaken you, they should strengthen you.  Negative thoughts shouldn’t limit performance, they should enhance it.  The things that bother you shouldn’t hold you back, they should catapult you to new heights.

That doubt is exactly what you need to succeed.

Slightly different,

doc mu