When we think we desire something, we look to others for validation. We want confirmation from them about our ideas and goals and direction.

This is not a bad thing. In fact, it's usually beneficial to refer to at least one of your trusted sources before acting. This can, however, turn into a slippery slope. When you seek opinions you want to make sure you refer to them, and not defer to them.

You should seek advice from others in order to help you shape your own opinion upon which to base your own decision. When you begin to defer to outside opinions instead of creating your own, you are wading into troubling waters. You should interpret the opinions of others, not report them.

I wanted to illustrate this point before moving onto the focus of the article, which is of course the fact that not everyone is going to agree with your vision. Whether you want to be an actor, a singer, an architect, or a school teacher, there will be people who disagree with what you are doing and how you are doing it. There's no way to avoid it.

Here's the thing though: THAT'S OKAY. You've got to learn to accept the fact that others may not see the world - your world - the same way you do.

Here’s a story:

The block of marble that Michelangelo used to carve the famous statue of David in 1504 stood untouched for nearly 50 years before he encountered it. Countless artists and sculptors had laid eyes on the block, and several attempted to work with it, but none found success. One after another they deemed the stone unusable. It sat collecting dust until Michelangelo came around and saw the marble block not for the ugly slab it currently was, but for the beauty that lie beneath it.

He saw the potential for it in his mind's eye, and no one could convince him otherwise. Despite his contemporaries condemning his efforts, he worked for four years until out from the marble came one of the most iconic works of art in all of history.

Not everyone is going to see the end result while you're doing the work. Shit, you might not always see the end result! But what drives you is the belief in what you are doing, the passion behind why you are doing it, and the vision of where you are taking it. When your actions are guided by those things, you cannot fail.

Remember that the opinions of others are based on a compilation of their own life experiences, hardships, and successes. Their outlook is completely different from yours because they've had a completely different journey.

Appreciate this fact, and use it to your advantage. This is not at all to deter you from seeking counsel - mentorship is a valuable and necessary tool in attaining success. Instead, I want to encourage you to create and believe in your own opinions, your own goals, and your own vision. If you know what you are doing is productive, constructive, of service, and meaningful to you, then you must weather the storm of negative outside influence and proceed onward and upward.

When you run into doubt, remember the marble stone that stood waiting decades for the right mind to reveal what was hidden inside. Others didn't have to see it, because Michelangelo did. Others don't have to see your vision, as long as you do.

"When no one gets your vision it's because God didn't give it to them - God gave it to you." -Lisa Nichols