The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win

by Jeff Haden

Step 2: Stop letting disapproval, or even scorn, stand in your way. Work too hard, strive too hard, appear to be too ambitious, try to stand out from the crowd . . . It’s a lot easier, and much more comfortable, to reel it in so that you fit in. Pleasing the (average-performing) crowd is something you simply can’t worry about. (You may think about it, but then you have to keep pushing forward. And yes, I know, that’s hard. I struggle with it too.) To succeed, hear the criticism, take the shots, endure the laughter or derision or even hostility—and stick to measuring yourself and your efforts by your own standards. Seemingly every successful person has faced tremendous criticism and rejection. Stephen King’s first book was rejected by thirty different publishers. Soichiro Honda flunked his interview with Toyota and decided to make scooters. Lucille Ball was told by acting teachers to try another profession. If you’re trying to do something different—if you’re trying to be different—other people will think you’re odd. That’s okay. Do what you want to do. That’s the only way to achieve what you want to achieve.