“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

Mark Twain

Guarding yourself from the folks that belittle your ambitions is a key to becoming a Peak Performer and achieving your dream.  It starts out subtly, those around you, friends and family, make a couple of wise cracks about others who have big dreams.  Soon enough, those “jokes” about others keep you from expressing your dreams, or you might suffer the same ridicule.  Not long after that, you stop daring to even have a dream at all.  We all have experienced the pain of a cutting remark from a family member, friend, teacher, coach, supervisor, or even a bully.  Unfortunately, many times we internalize the remark and begin to believe it to be true.

If you haven’t seen the movie “Throw Mama From the Train”, YouTube it and watch a few clips of Owen’s mother constantly berating him.  Sure, it’s a little overdone in Hollywood fashion, but we all know the effects of this type of disparagement.

Here’s the solution: WALK AWAY! I know that might sound harsh or drastic, but it must be done in order for you to ever become great.  If the “belittler” is a family member, love them, just love them from a distance.  Put a fence around your heart, guard it like your life depends on it, because it does.  I shut down any relationship that negatively impacts my future.  I am vigilant to keep my airspace pushed out and refused to allow naysayers to violate that airspace.  (CLICK HERE for more on this subject).

I might not win a popularity contest with those folks, but I rate pretty high with my wife and kids, who reap the benefits of me being a Peak Performer.  And really, that’s who is important, I don’t give a rip about those who scorn my ambitions and dreams.  No offense, I mean that in the most nicest possible way.

Boo Yah!