27 May 2013

Success Is The Best Revenge

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In preparing for my chat with Seattle University students in my former major (slated for next week!) I have already written two posts on Yow Yow! One post was about the advice I had for post-grads and the second was a slew of articles written by other people that I found to be useful even after graduating. This time around, I want to talk about something that I find to be the most important of all. Now, more than ever – after you graduate – you are going to feel an immense amount of pressure. And the best way to deal with that pressure? Do you. Easier said than done. Upon graduating and even while you’re still in college, people closest to you will bombard you with questions because people are human and humans like to pry. People also like to pass along judgement in what they believe to be subtle, but it won’t be because you know better than that.

Whatever you want to do; now is the time to do. One thing that I am so grateful for in my generation right now is the rise of start-ups. These individuals are paving the way for all of us to do what we want to do without having to take the constructed route that others have laid out for us. A long time ago (well not that long) maybe like four years ago, those closest to me expected me to have the career path  that was the norm or what others had wanted for me, but none of that would have made me happy. The hard truth is that you have to learn lessons your own way. All the advice in the world will not save you; it will just shelter you.

As a young 20-something you will receive a plethora of back-handed support or what I call support that is just littered with doubt and does no good for anyone. It usually sounds like support followed by a statement that makes you question why someone close to you is asking that in the first place. I’d give first-hand examples, but Yow Yow! was not meant to call anyone out. You know what I’m talking about though.

And to that – you should respond with a “How about you worry more about yourself and less about my situation?”

The other day my friend Cyril did a complete 180 on his life. I asked him, “How did you come about this decision?” And he responded with a “I decided I wanted to make a change and so I did.” Straightforward. Simple. No bullshit.

I’m not saying that my last two posts on advice were crap, but with Cyril’s statement – it’s that easy. This post is all about building your confidence internally. If you want to do something, you can do it. If people are going to doubt you, let them. Success is the best revenge. I used to think it was so cheesy when I read magazine articles about celebrities talking about how they were doubted about what they wanted to do all their lives and then when they finally made it, they were able to rub it in their faces with their success- Hey Taylor Swift. Yes,  some may say that that is an immature way to go, but at the end of the day, if that is the satisfaction you need you better believe that it will suffice. It will, I promise. Haters are always going to be haters and the reason that they doubt you is because there is a lack of strength to do it for themselves.

#truth.

YOU can do anything you want to do as long as you have a clear vision and know the resources you need to get there.