BLOG: Going for Your Goals, Ignoring Voices of Doubt

A bachelor’s degree in communications tells the world that you are capable of reading and writing at a high school level.

This is because nobody is impressed with you or the people you’ve been interviewing.

You’re being defrauded, but your teenage head is in the clouds so you don’t realize it.

Those were remarks made by an evident, dispassionate underachiever on my first blog here on Newark Patch, in the comments section that has since been taken down.  This individual believed they would be pretty powerful by trying to tear me down with their hateful words via Internet, thinking that I would never blog again… and yet here I am, writing my third installment about motivating young people to follow their dreams in life.

Two things to point out here: 1. Thank you to the individuals who came to my defense when that incident occurred and 2. That’s what brings me to my next point.  I know I talked a little bit about it in my first blog but this time around, I’m going to emphasize it more; about not letting the doubtful ones get to your head.

A lot of you are back in school now and depending on the circumstances, some of you may have peers that may try to put you down, telling you not to accomplish what you want to go for.  The trick is to block them out and be who you are and do what you got to do.

As with any challenge, it is easier said than done.  However, all it takes is to know that in those case scenarios, those who are attempting to put you down are mostly those who hardly know a thing about you.  In that regard, why bother listen to them anyway, especially those who try putting you down via Internet?

Random people playing the role as the decisive doubters aren’t always the case.  Sometimes, words of doubt aimed in your direction may even come from people who you may consider as friends.

 However logical their reasoning may be for their doubt in you, it doesn’t make a difference.  If they can’t be there for you the way true friends ought to be, then drop them.  There’s no point in keeping them around otherwise.

It’s especially hard when the doubters are your own parents and family members.  Not everyone has the same upbringing and depending on who you are, you may be coming from a background where you are to meet certain expectations; in particular one about what you intend to do in life.

To the people who are struggling from this: All I can suggest is continue going for what you want to do in life.  Will the journey there be harder?  Yes.  However, realize it is better to do something you love than something you loathe.

To the parents who demand these kinds of expectations: I may not know the first thing about parenting but what I will say is that the world is constantly changing and your children need to change with it .  You need to be sure they are doing what they- not you- feel they need to do, even if it goes against your intended expectations for them.  After all, what’s life without a little risk?

Last but not least, the worse kind of person you should be aware of that could put you down is yourself.  Depending on who you are, you may be the kind of person who has inner demons of self doubt coursing through your system.  Sometimes, it is best not to listen to yourself and just go for your goals.

I know someone who had originally doubted her own gifts.  I’ve had the honor of interacting with YouTube singer Clara C a few times.  She is a beautiful young woman, both inside and out, and is a talented vocalist and instrumentalist.

When I conducted an interview with her last spring when I first met her, she told me how despite having the support of her parents in whatever she wanted to do, she was a closeted musician most of her life because her previous circle of friends told her she wouldn’t make it as an artist. 

However, upon making new friends, they were the ones who pushed her for what she wanted to do and has since won several talent competitions, has received nearly 16 million views on YouTube, has done nation-wide tours and is about to drop her second album later this month (read interview with Clara C here:http://thepioneeronline.com/artsentertainment/2012/05/youtube-singer-wow... ).

Clara has a support system in aid to her success and that is something very powerful and effective.  However, in the matter of having a supportive system, that is something that will be discussed next time.