Who Do You Think You Are?
"Who do you think you are? I mean seriously, do you really think you of all people could ever possibly do anything that hasn't been done already? You want to change the world, just how can you, you alone, do that? I will believe it when I see it."
Those were the words that a fellow business colleague (and yes someone I consider a friend) said to me a few short months ago. It was in the middle of one of those conversations that went sort of like..."So when are you going to give up on this Ripple thing and go start a real company...do real work."
True, it would be easy to take those words as a put down; heck they were obviously meant to be. True, I could get mad and hold a grudge over this guy because he doesn't "drink the Kool-Aide" and jump on board the Ripple wagon. True I could simply ignore his ignorance and chalk it up to the guy being jealous on some level.
But what would that accomplish?
People...we all have someone in our life that will for whatever reason try and knock us off our path. We will always have detractors who say we can't accomplish something that we set our minds to. All of us will certainly have our share of people who don't qualify as fans.
But that's okay.
Who do you think you are? Answer that question openly and honestly. What in this world do you expect to accomplish? What will be your legacy?
You are exactly what YOU think you are. You are not what someone else thinks you are. You are not someone else's description. You are you. The quicker that you get comfortable in your own skin and recognize that nothing more important matters than knowing in your heart of hearts who you are deep down inside and living up to your fullest potential will life begin to hold real meaning and purpose for you.
To my friend and colleague, who do I think I am? I am the kid (well...hmmm not such a kid anymore) who is going to change the world with this "Ripple Thing!" That's who I know I am!
Thanks for the reminder.....
Ripple On!!!
Steve
14 comments:
Funny how easy it is to accept the put downs as truth. This is an awesome reminder to push past that kind of negativity.
Amen...
We all have to follow our own paths and our own destinies. It's just hard for most people to understand that, if you happen to be following a less-than-conventional path.
You already are making a difference. Even at the very moment of that conversation you were making a difference even if your colleague was unaware of it.
Steve-
This person obviously does not know the Steve Harper that I know. I think he is just jealous of your success, and future success (I am always amazed at people who get jealous of things that could happen good for others in the future. Yet it happens, they hate that you have potential!)
Donny Deutsch, the advertising executive and Cable TV Talk Show Host has a great philosophy. When faced with a problem (or a "negative nellie" like you friend) he asks "WHY NOT ME". I think that is a great way to face life. WHY NOT ME????
Keep up the good work. You are impacting people, and you do make a difference. What is that person doing???
thom
Loved this post... I remember being at a workshop once and we were asked to identify what gift we were holding back from world. (We all have them!) IMO, it takes the question "Who are you to...?" and flips it around to "Who are you NOT to...?"
Interestingly, today's message at The Daily Motivator (www.greatday.com) is pretty much telling me what you're telling me, Steve. Is the Universe trying to tell me something?!!
PAX,
Funny thing: whenever someone asks me "who do you think you are?" I realize that they don't really care who I think I am. They are simply forming a poor segue into telling me who they think I am. You know what? Only I can provide that definition and I really am not very concerned with another's perception. I simply take actions that are characteristic of who I am (not who I think I want to be) and those that I want to ripple with will naturally be drawn to me and I to them. I believe synergy in relationships is created naturally through people who are honest about themselves and those they interact with. We can facilitate that process when we practice rippling!
Hi Steve - Thanks for sharing that conversation with us. Your thoughts inpire us be strong in our daily walk.
Many people seem to focus on what they have. Some of them focus on what they are doing. Very few focus on who they are.
Be -> Do -> Have ... You've got to "be" before you can do, and you've got to "do" before you can "have" ... and, as we progress in our life journey, it is good to think about why we are here.
Wow! Thanks to everyone who left a comment and/or email directly on this post. Your positive words of encouragement and amazing support of me and my work means the absolute world to me.
Thank you Terri, Carlon, Anonymous, Thom, Steve, Jag, Maura, Fred, Cheryl, Christine, Mike and Donna!
Steve;
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that I know I am doing the right thing when others start questioning what I am doing. (A grown woman writing about bears??!!!)
Keep on rippling, you are doing a great job!
what other people say and think about you - is only a projection onto you of what they themselves are.
*...This website (see below) is beautiful, and full of such loving fibes, and happiness.. I totally reccomend it to everyone!
http://www.theomegashift.com
May all the magic of your hearts desires come true and they will, and they do.
WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MIND
COMES OUT IN YOUR LIFE
...................................
Hey Steve,
I'm organizing a conference in Paris July 6 at the OECD.
If you happen to be around let me know ;)
Love
TT
Hmmm. Your friend's comment to you now gives you something (else) in common with people like Louis Pastuer, Charles Goodyear, Robert Fulton, Henry Ford, Marie Curie, Dale Carnegie, Eleanor Roosevelt,William Shockley & co., etc. Because you know they heard the same thing time and time again.
What a great lesson, Steve! I'm so moved by your take-aways, and how you turned this person's comments into an enormous gift, a blessing.
And, thank you for renewing your commitment to the world, to me, to YOU.
We all need reminders that we are here for a purpose -- to make a difference and start a ripple.
I dare say that you have created a WAVE, Steve, by recognizing the criticism as a blessing and turning this person's negativity into a positive ripple for all of us!
Thank you, Steve. You're amazing.
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