“You could choose no worse way to guide your life than to follow the opinion of others” - Leo Tolstoy
...Following your own path can be difficult as there is constant input from others ; ill- or well intentioned. Regardless of the emotion or intent behind the opinions of others it must always be taken in stride with objective context and regard to your personal goals and path.
In an interview discussing the influence of Jay-Z on his life, Jay Jenkins (known to most as the rapper Jeezy) discussed how Jay-Z modeled being someone that was strongly driven by his own personal vision and not the opinions and projections of others. “People don’t want you to change, but my vision is my vision….you can’t knock mine because you want me to stay in a particular place so that you’re comfortable with who you are.” Ask yourself, Am I doing or working towards what I want for my life or what someone else wants for my life?