Haters Gonna Hate

Have you heard the story of the son of Daedalus who dared to fly too near the sun on wings of feathers and wax - you probably know him as Icarus. Daedalus had been imprisoned by King Minos of Crete within the walls of his own invention, the Labyrinth. But the great craftsman's genius would not suffer captivity. He made two pairs of wings by adhering feathers to a wooden frame with wax. Giving one pair to his son, he cautioned him that flying too near the sun would cause the wax to melt. But Icarus became ecstatic with the ability to fly and forgot his father's warning - he longed to fly as near as he could to the heavens. The feathers came loose and Icarus plunged to his death in the sea.

Where am I going with this? 

Well, we've all been there. Armed with the wings of ambition, we've taken flight, we've soared, flying high above the world - but then a few words or a disapproving stare - and we deflate, lose steam and tumble back to earth. Where we belong. Right? 

Wrong. 

But the higher you climb - the further you have to fall! 

Yup. And that is the price you must pay to succeed in anything you wish to accomplish. It's the risk/reward inherent in any endeavor. The greater the possible reward, the riskier the outcome. And if you do fail - the critics will be there to remind you just how far you've fallen, how they knew you would fail and how you never should have tried in the first place. Why? Because 'haters gonna hate'. It's in their nature to criticize that which they are too afraid to attempt. Your failure validates their fear. But remember:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”  ~ President Theodore Roosevelt

The nature of those who cannot do, is to criticize. But in truth, their negativity is not directed at you - rather, you are simply a mirror reflecting back what they lack the courage to become. The anger being projected is in fact self-loathing - and by not attaching to it, you allow that negativity to stay where it belongs - with the critic. Haters gonna hate, but as my dad used to say - Don't let the bastards grind you down. 

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.” ~ Lao Tzu

There are no guarantees in life, no sure bets. And yes, the higher you climb, the further you have to fall - but ask yourself this: 

If I were to look back at the end of my life, would I remember fondly all the times I played it safe? Didn't take a chance? Maintained the status quo? 

Or would I regret not having tried?

I have had the good fortune to speak with many who have gone before us - and never once did I hear someone say: "Gee, I really wish I had taken less chances in life."

And if and when you do fail (and we all do) - just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get right back in the game. For within that failure, you will find the seeds of your future victory. 'Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself.' The important thing is in never giving up. Be brave. Be bold. Be you. Because without your unique, authentic voice - the world is dull. We need you to be you. So, shine on you crazy diamond! 

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~ Marianne Williamson

Critics, whether real or imagined, 

Will always have things to say:

That's on them. 

But how you respond to it:

That's on you. 

In the future, when weighing 

Whether or not to take a risk,

Forget the critics and naysayers, 

And remember the advice 

Of your friend, Tom Cruise: