Can’t please everybody.
Stick to pleasing nobody.
“I do it for myself”, sounds narcissistic — but it should be the honest truth behind every pursuit.
The unconventional lifestyle, the pragmatic posture of society, of what’s acceptable and what isn’t.
There will always be moments when someone will find some thing to complain about, and you can’t please everybody.
Hence, stop trying to; and wonderful things do happen as a result.
It’s not necessarily a mentality or a mindset where you simply “Do-Not-Care”, it’s that you’re unaffected by the judgement and will continue to pursue it anyways.
Obviously, dear reader, I don’t mean things that are harmful to yourself or others; because that’s inappropriate.
What I do imply is not every life choice we make is conventionally acceptable.
Think of Walt Disney, in an era where “Animation” really was not seen as a “Career-Choice”, going up to his parents claiming “I’ll make millions off drawings cartoons, someday” — he would’ve been shunned, shrugged off, and ridiculed.
Probably was too, but he did it anyways — and it gave a generation to come wonderful Princess stories and a Mouse that spoke.
But, the fact still remains — he did it for himself, success was a byproduct of his pursuit.
Let’s look at another example, one we’re all too familiar with, we might very likely be reading this on one of his devices — Steve Jobs.
An arrogant, dominating, and often indifferent personality; one could even argue he was hardly a genius because he didn’t “create” anything.
Whilst it remains true, technically he didn’t “create” but rather “innovated”; he did make unconventional decisions that led Apple to its success.
Whilst his lovely partner in crime, Steve Wozniak would have happily complied to giving away his creations as an Engineer; Jobs convinced Wozniak not to.
Instead Jobs did the exact opposite of what the conventional computing industry was doing at the time; he marketed a closed computing system rather than an open one — meaning it couldn’t be opened up and lacked unnecessary ports; a strategy Apple follows to this very day.
Minimising choice.
A blow to the computing purists who wanted to modify computers also known as “Rigging”.
Jobs, realising everyday consumers do not meander with the thought of modifying their machines but would rather just own a simple device which functions well — created just that, and succeeded; though after much criticism and fallout.
When he could’ve very easily given into the demands of what creators felt consumers “needed”, Jobs provided them with something they “wanted”; by not giving into the notion of what was marketable at the time as a viable product.
Popularly claiming, being the brilliant advertiser that he was, “Consumers don’t know what they want until you give it to them” — a quote which might have been inspired by a similar spirit, Henry Ford.
Hence, much credit to his passion and will towards his unforgiving pursuit to what he felt he needed to do; he created products that are now synonymous as the benchmark of technology.
Also let’s not forget the brilliantly directed scene by Danny Boyle, acted out by the wonderful Kate Winslet and Michael Fassbender.
With the notion of pleasing nobody but yourself in mind, you take into account all things necessary to “your” survival; the fact still remains that we do not live in a vacuum and do in-fact interact with other individuals who share this planet.
The beauty of it is the ultimate reward when “your” pursuit resonates with another kindred spirit, because it’s honest and it’s pure.
A deeper connection is formed, one that is deeper rooted than one of pleasing society, one that fulfils us in a much more profound fashion — as likeminded spirits come together to acknowledge the simplicity and charisma it takes to stay true to yourself through sheer brutal honest.
“I do it for myself”.
By this time,
You’d have discovered that your achievements are not reliant of the virtue of pleasing others.
You’ll find self-discipline matters more than the constant self-deprivation of keeping up with what’s demanded of us.
You’ll take pleasure in self-accomplishment, without feeling the need to seek affirmation for it by sharing it with the world; but will find gratitude in it when it does.
With honesty and seeking pleasure, for yourself and nothing but, the task become much more enjoyable.
Getting out of bed will seem more exciting.
Doesn’t mean it’s selfish.
I help out at an Elderly People’s home, I do it for myself — sure it helps others, but I do it because it helps my battle with depression.
It gives ‘me’ a purpose.
So why lie to myself in believing that it’s really a charitable act that I do because I feel the need to contribute to society.
Hence, I can be honest in every action and be able to remember.
“I did it for myself, but I’m sure glad it resonated”.
Thank you for reading. :)
