“You can please some of the people some of the time but you cannot please all of the people all of the time”. A. Lincoln
I had to learn this very early in my career. Since I am essentially a ‘people pleaser’ (iow, I really want people to like me) I also had to learn that it is perfectly ok if they don’t. Not everyone will like me and their opinion does not diminish me in any way. It was a hard lesson to learn and I still struggle with it.
As a self-employed creative person depending upon writing and teaching for a good chunk of my income, it is a constant struggle for me to promote myself and my work. I do it, but it’s not easy and any hint of negatively can threaten to send me off my emotional rails. But I’ve learned that while I may wobble a bit, and that there a few people out there who don’t cotton to my self promotion much, there are others who do.
But lordy, do I get tired of tooting my own horn! Watch my You Tube videos! Buy my publications! Hire me to teach! Pay me to write articles! Me, Me, Me!
What I have learned as well is that you can never underestimate the ability of someone to take offense when none is intended.
And so I juggle these two maxims and try to stay on course.
After managing a good morning’s work, I am off to visit a new little one and his mom, something I am really looking forward to doing. 🙂