Stop caring what people think of you. Easier said than done, right? But when you inoculate yourself against judgment you stop playing small, and you stop living someone else’s version of your life.
People aren’t afraid of failing, they’re afraid of failing in front of the people who matter most: your friends and family. You’ll sing in the shower, but you won’t sing walking down a busy street or on camera. Why? You’re afraid of people judging you and as long as you’re taking actions in your life based on what other people think, you will never accomplish the big goals you know you’re capable of.
I believe we play small by default. It’s in our nature to play it safe and not rock the boat as humans.
I remember a warm summer day a few years ago I was walking to my studio and had music playing in my headphones. I was walking down a side street by myself and had my favorite tracks on. I was dancing, shaking, and humming along, having a great time.
Then something happened…
I got to the busy intersection at Yonge and Sheppard here in Toronto and everything stopped. I stopped dancing. I stopped shaking. I stopped humming… Why?
Because suddenly there were people around.
My instinct was to stop having fun, stop enjoying the moment, stop being me… because a bunch of random strangers were now around me and they would judge me.
But I caught myself. I caught myself playing small. I asked myself, “Why do I care so much about what these random people think? What does it matter?”
Then I made a decision that changed my life…
I decided to dance bigger than ever before. I stood there at the corner of the crazy busy Yonge and Sheppard and shook like it was nobody’s business!
I didn’t get up into anybody’s face. The point wasn’t to make anyone feel bad or show off. The point was that I wasn’t going to let a bunch of strangers control my happiness! Who knows? Maybe they’d even smile and have fun watching! Maybe my dancing on the street is the most fun thing that will happen just before they walk into their soul-crushing job.
It’s time for you to inoculate yourself against judgment too.
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