A Different Path

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1.1K followers

If there's one thing that sets successful people apart from the rest, it's that they're willing to endure things that most people wouldn't even dream of. The vast majority are looking for the easy way to do things, by default. Their lives revolve around comfort, rather than progress. That's why achieving success seems so impossible to them. They think people like us are nuts for working 80-plus hours a week, while they're out hamming it up and living for the moment.

What's really unsettling is when close family members think that way, like say your parents. Here are these people you've taken advice from your entire life, yet they can be so wrong about something as basic and important as this. It can be hard to deal with someone like that thinking you're delusional when they're the ones whose support you would most want to have. If you're not really sure of yourself, that can seriously mess with your head.

I think that's part of what makes this such a lonely journey. You have to muster up the kind of faith in yourself that 99.9 percent of the people around you don't have. Then you have to decide whether to avoid them for your own sanity or spend a large part of your precious energy fighting off their negativity. After awhile, you may get so used to dealing with this that you forget how much mental and physical energy it can take to run your own business.

So if you find yourself feeling tired all the time, it might be a good idea to take a look at your close relationships. If you've already found success, this might not be a problem. I mean, it's hard for anyone to argue that you're full of it when it's obvious that you're making a ton of money. But for those who are new to this game and struggling to pull it together, you might be surprised how much energy you can spend fighting off others' negativity.

There are no easy solutions to this and what works for one might not work for another. Family situations are rather unique and can be very delicate. What's important to remember is that you have to be strong enough not to let anyone beat down your resolve, no matter how well-meaning they might be. No matter how wise some people might be in other ways, success is often the one thing that eludes them.

Remember that as much as you may have looked up to these people throughout your life, they are still human. That means that even they don't have it all figured out and even they can be wrong about some things. Their concern for you is often the result of watching you tread into territory that's unfamiliar to them for reasons they can't relate to. So don't be too hard on them.

When you step outside the world of traditional employment, your entire life can change. People have lost family, friends and even spouses over this. Many have just given up. I'm not saying this happens to everyone, because it depends on many factors. But it's not unusual when you think about what constitutes "normal" in the lives of so many of the people you know.

That's what makes this community so valuable for so many of us. Sometimes the people here are the only ones who will understand your decision to strike out on your own. Hey, maybe we are "crazy," at least according to conventional wisdom. But if you take a good look at history, it's often the crazy people who become society's biggest movers and shakers.

You know their names...

Have a great one!

Mark

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Recent Comments

22

A person really has to pay attention to their personal thoughts and feelings....all the time. Continual monitoring of those nagging thoughts and feelings, so vital for successful existence.

So true, Curly. Thanks for stopping by!

Mark, you don’t realize or know how much of an affect this post has. It’s written in a way that everyone can relate to in so many different areas. You are truly an inspired writer and I encourage you to follow your inspired dreams.

The one thing I will say about the wonderful community of WA is that the unconditional love and acceptance here towards people is REAL.

Have Prosperous and successful New Year Mark:)

Thanks, Julie! Glad you could find some value in it. Hope you have a fantastic 2019, as well!

Love the way you write. Have you published and books yet?
Man after my own heart.
Sylvia

Hi, Sylvia!

Not yet, but I do plan to get into the Amazon Kindle market sometime in the next year or so. I'm moving away from freelancing gradually, so I can spend more time on my websites. Then when those are doing a little better, I'll work on e-books.

Mark

I never want to be in a comfort zone. How boring that would be?

Much success to you in 2019!!

Mark

Indeed, it would be!

obviously correct. :)

;-)

It is true that family and your closest friends sometimes just don't understand what you are doing. It is so great that we have this wonderful community, because if we run into such a problem, we can come "home" to WA and receive the understanding we need.

Absolutely, Fran. Everyone else in my life, outside of the WA community, works for someone else. Just like I used to. So I can remember thinking the way they do. But that seems so far behind me now. When your struggles are different, they're not going to get it.

They're trying to find ways to get out of working and I'm trying to find ways to produce more, lol. It's like two different worlds.

Well, you are correct. Work is not the problem. Working for someone else can be a problem. Those who are still doing so can't see the value in what you are doing.

Stay truthful
And find balance with loved ones

That's the only way to do it. They definitely belong in one's life, just not necessarily in all aspects of it.

Yes... hard some times
with computer failires or other urgencies
that request more time...

Happy and prosperous New year To you and yours!
🥳

Likewise, my friend! Happy New Year!

Wow Mark...it’s like you have been watching my life play out. I have been struggling with this for years, and I know exactly what you mean.
Sometimes it’s best to remove the negative energy all together. Other ones just have to be kept at an arms distance;)

It’s hard not to share my excitement about this whole experience, but like you pointed out...because I haven’t made it big yet, people don’t share my enthusiasm:/

Thanks for the great post Mark:)
Chris

Yup, it's like a universal struggle with people on this type of path. There are some people who, as good as their advice can be, are not the best people to share this sort of thing with. That's the great part about having a community like this.

People here get it!

If I had posted this on say Facebook, not a single person would have commented or liked the post. Why? Because I don't know ANYONE outside of this community doing this sort of thing.

As much as I love some of my life-long friends and close family members, I don't even know what to talk about with them anymore. And as far as meeting new people goes, it's hard to even describe what it is that I do, lol.

I identify with every thing you wrote. Success does not happen overnight. We have to fail sometimes to succeed.

Never ever quit on your dreams and goals

Well said. Even if everyone else quits on you, you cannot afford to quit on yourself.

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