My Resistance to Negative Criticism was Tested Today

Today was tough because a complete stranger, whom I shared the details of my journey with, began bashing every aspect of it. Of course, I probably shouldn't have spoken to him about it, but I can't change who I am. I'm the type of person who likes to use personal experiences to empower others. What happened this time, however, was the reverse. I felt like most of my energy was sucked out of me for a while. This person told me that I could not gain all the muscle I say I could, without using drugs. He also mentioned that there was no point in accomplishing it either way, seeing that I would probably not make any money out of it. I tried defending all of those negative comments by stating what I've learnt over the years... Things like "The richest people on the planet, the ones who came from nothing, at many points in their journey were told repeatedly that they were destined for failure", "Do what you love, the money will follow", and "Success is not something you achieve, it's something you become", etc.

I don't mean to make this entire blog post about becoming rich or successful. My journey means much more to me than making money. I have to admit, though, that it has been a concern of mine in the last few years. That's why this negative critic definitely struck a nerve with me. Still, it only took a few hours of reflection to remind myself that the hope of acquiring money or fame should never be the driving force to any goal. Every moment should be lived with passion. Anyways, I felt I should make a post out of this experience, since it's something that I think you should be aware of when attempting to reach your goal. It's going to happen often... you know, people telling you you're not good enough, or smart enough, or whatever. Don't listen to them. You're the captain of your soul. Follow what your heart tells you and you'll be taken to places that most people could only dream about. The courageous ones, the ones who are willing to take the time to learn... are the ones who will experience happiness. The rest, well, we could only pray for them.