Freedom. Say it out loud ... Freedom. What does that really mean?
Let me tell you this much--freedom isn't free. When you speak of freedom, when you set the example of what you're willing to do to have freedom, when you demonstrate your desire for freedom, you expose yourself to the masses. You put yourself in a position to be criticized and doubted. Essentially, on the road to freedom, you become a target. Being a target means that you become the focal point of miserable people.
Consider this--80% of the world is complacent. Meaning, 80% of the people you surround yourself with are "comfortable", "ok" or "hate"--absolutely hate--their current situation in life. May it be their job, their house, their wardrobe, their car, their relationship, their surroundings, themselves--whatever--they aren't too thrilled about THEIR LIFE! So what do they do? They try to F-up yours.
Let's generalize this for the masses ... 80% of the people you know, or in other words, 80% of the people you surround yourself with are encouraging complacency, encouraging you to stay where you are, encouraging you to keep the same old life you have and encouraging you to continue hating what you've got, since they hate what they've got. Misery loves company all day long.
On the other hand, that means only 20% ---if you're lucky--the remaining 20% of the people you surround yourself with urge you to follow your dreams and to dream big, to strive for more and to strive for better. That means, on average, eight out of 10 of your friends, family members or acquaintances want you to remain the same while only two of them hope you can achieve more.
Break it down more, you say? ... That means, most people who give advice to you about accomplishing your goals, about your relationship failures or success, about how to handle your anxiety, about how to spend or save your money, about how to live your life--majority of those people are in the same situation as or in a far worse situation and mindset than you are.
Even deeper? ... That means the people who try to give you some wisdom or teach you lessons, or add unwanted fuel to your fire, may actually be less experienced and less qualified to give the tips than you are to receive them because they are complacent ... with never striving to achieve more, never striving to get more experience on the lessons and wisdom they claim to have learned, never striving to become a better human being. Just complacent, and miserable, hoping to drag you down with em' ... Because in their mind, if chasing their dreams didn't work for them, then shit, how's it gon' work for you?! ...
Here's where the real thought comes in--how on earth can anyone who has never committed to anything in their life criticize you, or people in general, for smiling more, thinking more positively and wanting better? How can anyone who has never accomplished anything, whether in a career aspect, parenting aspect, relationship aspect--whatever--criticize you for using that positive energy to help you commit to your goals and propel you in the right direction of your dreams, ambitions and desires?
Too many people take advice from people who have no expertise. In their defense, too many people seek it from em'. That part is our fault. Shame on us.
In addition to that though, too many people accept criticism from critics with no credentials, take relationship advice from people who have never had one and listen to parenting advice from people who have never been a parent. The list continues and if you ask me, this is the real problem in the world. Too many people thinking small and acting, and not enough people doing big and speaking.
We become like the five people we hang out with most. Booker T. Washington said it best ... "Associate with people of good quality, for it's better to be alone than in bad company." This is so freaking true.
Negativity isn't like poison ... It is poison ... to the brain, to the body, to the mind, to the skin, to the spirit, to the world ... and the only ones who feel that poison, and endure that poison and encourage that poison are those 80% ... those 80% who are more unqualified and undeserving to complain than the other 20%. At least when the 20% complain or criticize or get anxious, it's with expertise, real reasoning and requires some critical thinking. It's backed by a little knowledge and fact, and a whole lot of experience.
The 80% have an imagination though ... boy do they have an imagination ... a detailed one that gets them so deep into their negative analyzations that they actually start to believe their thoughts. They cook up scenarios in their head, they put "two and two" together and think they're investigators now, finding out the secrets behind this or that, finding out tips and tricks for investing or for "manipulating the system" or manipulating people at that, when really, they're making themselves look crazy and insane and in turn, are poisoning the little piece of hope in their brain they have left.
The problem arises when they want to share those negative thoughts with others. They want to act like they're experts who know the rules of the game. They add their two cents to situations they know nothing about in hopes to drag you down to their level. The real problem in the world lies in the haters who consume 80% of our population. Think about if the 80% used that same energy and instead, thought positively ... Think about how the world would be if instead of spreading poison, they were spreading love ...
You can't teach people how to change their mindset. You can't teach people how to forget ... But you can open their minds by demonstration and set the example for the life they can lead if they hush the nonsense and listen to what their heart tells em ... if they listen to what their gut tells em. If all that you want to be is felt deep in your gut, then embrace it.
Don't be the 80%. Don't surround yourself with the 80%. Stay by yourself if you have to or at least until you meet people who you bring out the 20% in you and can help you get where you need to go.
The fastest way to success is to surround yourself with successful people and likewise, the fastest way to happiness is to surround yourself with happy people. If you want to remain miserable, keep hanging out with the complacent ones. If not, make a change. No more excuses y'all. No more being complacent without your consent. Now that you know better, do better.
