Opportunity
Opportunities have an amazing effect on people and those that surround them. It’s a shame that whenever I see someone given an opportunity, it’s those that are sometimes closest to them that are the most discouraging. But why would a friend discourage someone? (To be fair let’s assume they are not intentionally malicious.)
- They don’t want to see their friend fail
- They can’t picture them doing it and wouldn’t know how
- It’s “too hard”
- They knew someone who tried and failed
- They just know it’s a bad or dangerous idea
The list could go on but I’ll stop it right there. Let’s get one thing straight: no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve accomplished, there will never cease to be a critic in your life. Unfortunately, there may be more the higher up you get! You have to have the belief in yourself and your dreams to get through these roadblocks.
The key to knowing what advice is worth listening to is to ask your friend: “Why?” The simplest of words will actually convey a lot of honesty on their part.
The best of friends will tell you to follow your dreams and make them your reality. They will offer their help and admire you for it. That’s because the best of friends don’t seek to gain anything from your successes or failures. They just want to see you happy. I’m glad I have a few friends like that.
Brian Swanick
Hey it's me, Brian Swanick! I wrote this article in an effort to teach myself something new and maybe help someone else along the way. Let me know your thoughts and if you have any ideas, resources, or reflections below. I truly mean it when I say I would LOVE to hear about them.
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