Whatever you are striving for in life, I guarantee that there will be people always waiting (and hoping) for you to fail. They are not only looking for your inevitable stumble, but they actively try and make it happen sooner rather than later. They will utter the phrases ‘you can’t do that’ and ‘why not do x instead y’’. They will laugh at whatever goals you have set yourself while still maintaining that they are 100% behind you, all while waiting for that hurdle to stop you in your tracks and for you to give up.
When you give up, they win.
The people who fall into the above category will come thick and fast. They will be close friends, relatives, randoms on the internet and people you meet in everyday life. It can be extremely disheartening to tell people your dreams only for them to be thrown back in your face in the form of a smirk, a laugh or even just a complete misunderstanding. As a wannabe poker professional I undoubtedly get this reaction a lot more than your ‘average’ everyday career choice. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I’ve heard the following:
'But poker is all about luck'
‘So you’re a gambling addict’
‘At least you’re not dealing drugs’
‘There’s no money in poker’
‘Do you have a good poker face?'
‘I’m pretty good at poker myself’
These responses are nearly always standard when dealing with people who, quite simply, have literally no idea about the game of poker apart from, maybe, knowing the basic rules. These uninformed responses can sometimes come from a place of genuine intrigue and I am more than happy to delve deeper into my profession with someone who is willing to open their minds and are keen to learn something new. I would also like to point out that a few come from a genuine place of simple concern, no viciousness or malice intent was meant but that doesn’t always help when you’re in need of support and trust from the people around you.
But more often than not they are simple put downs from people who are just plain ignorant and have no desire to learn. Or they are put downs from people that lack the drive, focus and ambition to chase their own dreams for fear of failure. Sometimes both, rarely neither. That’s not to say that the people I’ve come across on my journey were not open to changing their views on my career of choice, and it is my responsibility to help them come to a more objective conclusion. But this post isn’t about them, it’s about you.
The way you deal with the guaranteed ‘shit-on-your-parade’ type of personalities that will creep in from all around you is just another barrier that you will have to learn how to cope with. You need to take pride in the choices you have decided to make, regardless of the backlash that may follow. So whether you’re out to lose weight, starting a new hobby, or really focusing on the career you’ve always wanted, just remember to listen to yourself. In the wise words of Dr Seuss;
‘You’re on your own and you know what you know. And you are the one who will decide where to go’
I could not have put it any clearer...
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