Sometimes it can be hard to share our dreams with others. We fear what they are going to say and if it is going to be negative. We worry about how others will perceive the very nature of our dreams and whether it is a worthwhile pursuit. I have spent my entire life caring a little too much about what other people think. I am sensitive to criticism and ultimately even feedback that is simply constructive. It is something I am working on, but it’s not easy.
Unfortunately, when we place too much value on the opinions of others–or even the perceived opinions of others–it leads us to question ourselves and focus on doubts rather than possibilities. We lose trust in our own natural intuition and it decreases our confidence.
Sometimes, we give up on our dreams altogether because of what someone said about that dream.
I know some people who say you should shout your goals and dreams from the rooftops because that will create accountability. While I understand the reasoning behind this thought, I don’t always agree with it because telling the wrong person about your goals and dreams could have a devastating affect on your confidence.
Facing criticism and negative feedback is a reality we all need to learn to get used to because inconsiderate and negative people are a fact of life. But while you are in the process of building up the courage to embrace your own dreams, it might be wise to use caution sharing them with just anyone, especially if you are of a sensitive nature and will be easily discouraged by naysayers.
I have an idea for a book that I am teasing out right now but I have decided not to tell anyone in my close circle about it quite yet. After I’ve developed the ideas a bit more, perhaps I will. As important as it is to avoid becoming overwhelmed by naysayers, it is also important to find people who will encourage you and push you and share in your dreams.
One practical bit of advice I got from someone was to tease out your goal until you can give a 60-second elevator pitch (honestly, I didn’t know what elevator pitch meant at the time, but it is simply a quick, concrete overview of your plan or goal) and then you can start sharing it.
This helped me because I realized that my dreams or goals are often too vague and need further refining. Even those who want us to succeed will be more likely to raise objections or skeptical questions if the goal isn’t concrete or you aren’t sure of it.
Take one goal you have–the one you are most excited about–and spend a few minutes today writing down how you can tighten and refine it. And remember that you will encounter those who think your dreams are not worth pursuing. Hold tightly to them and work on believing in yourself by refining them and working toward them a little each day.
Spend more time focusing on your dreams than the voices of others and eventually those voices will fade under the power of your own belief and action.
