It Only Matters What You Believe
My dad once told me that “opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one”. In life, there are plenty of things that don’t matter. People will tell you that what religion you follow matters, what sex you are, who you love, who leads a country, that business matters, that the homeless matter, what wine you drink, what brand your shoes, dresses or t-shirts are, people will even tell you that a particular type of lawnmower matters. The truth is that only one thing really matters, you. Yes, nothing is quite as important as you because there is so much you can do. Whether you believe that or not doesn’t matter, but it is true.
As a kid you’re usually told one of two things by your parents. That you can do anything you put your mind to, and that you should dream and let your imagination take you to places you could only ever imagine. The alternative is that you’re worthless, and you have nothing to offer anyone and that no-one wants you around. The important thing to know about those two statements, is that they’re both true. It matters not what you are told, it only matters what you believe.
As a teenager you’re usually told one of two things by the people around you. That you have a bright future, and that if you work hard you will be incredibly important and valuable to a company one day. The alternative is that you’re a waste of time, and that anyone who tries to help you change your life is also wasting their time, because you’ll never amount to anything anyway. Once again, both of those statements are true, if you choose to believe them.
As an adult you’re usually told one of two things by the people you work for. That you’re dedicated and a hard worker, and that your work is appreciated and valued by the company. The alternative is that you don’t try hard enough, you slack off too much, you’re the last to arrive and the first to leave, and you’re almost certainly going to be fired if you don’t step up your game. Yes, once more both of these statements are true, if you choose to believe them.
In case you missed it, there’s a common thread in life. You will always have people singing your praises and supporting you, and you will always encounter people that want to tear you down and tell you that you can’t be something special. The point is that they’re always going to be right if you listen to them, take their advice on board, and make decisions with the intension of being whichever version of you that you want to be. You can only do what’s best and right for you, and you should never do what’s best and right for someone else’s life. You can’t let someone tell you what kind of person you will be, because you are in control of that. Likewise, you can’t allow someone to dictate what type of employee you will be, because you make the decisions that determine your future.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a kid, a teenager, or an adult. You will always have someone telling you what you can or can’t do, but that doesn’t make it true. The only truth in this world is what you create for yourself, and what you do to be remembered. No-one owes you anything, you’re entitled to nothing more than what you go out and earn. If you want to be a great athlete go and do the training. If you want to be a great teacher study hard to be one. If you want to be a great musician then practice and play more than anyone else. But don’t sit on your butt with your hands out waiting for someone to change your future, when your future in already in your own hands, mind, and heart. A great man once said to me “the heart wants what the heart wants”, and truer words have never been spoken. So go and work for what your heart really wants, let everyone tell you that you can’t have it, and then prove them all wrong. Because you can, believe me, or not.
Thank you for reading. Brett Stone is a director and co-founder of The Crucial Team Australia Pty Ltd. The Crucial Team are responsible for assisting hundreds of people through using Crucendo, to develop themselves and their careers and to build self awareness and self confidence. Crucendo can be found at www.crucendo.com
