December 10

Who do you listen to? On the surface, this might seem like a simple question, but it’s not. We listen to all sorts of people, some of whom aren’t even in our lives any longer. We listen to teachers or coaches who once said something cruel to us or who marked us with self-doubt. We listen to parents who expressed their disappointment in a career choice. We listen to managers who used us for their own gain, but never really built into us in a way that would help us achieve our own goals.

These people are no longer speaking to us, but we are still listening to them because their words echo in our minds. As Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

There will always be people in your life to tell you what you do. You must choose who you will listen to. Receive the words of people who actually have skin in the game. Listen to people who

want what’s best for you, not just for themselves.

Don’t listen to the voices of those who would only seek to squelch your ambition. Choose to listen to people who actually want what’s best for you.

Question: Are there any voices from the past (or present) that are limiting your view of what’s possible?