As human beings, we crave affirmation and relationships. It’s an integral part of who we are, but it’s also a characteristic that can stunt our growth entirely if left unchecked. So much of what we do is out of fear of what people may think of us; we want to seem cool, successful, and smart, and that’s not always a bad thing.

Sometimes what others think of you can provide the drive you needed to chase new levels of success. Sometimes just wanting to prove that you can do something is enough to get the ball rolling. The problem is that there is a serious shift in perspective necessary to turn these motivations from unhealthy to healthy, and it’s this: Do it for you, not them.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to overvalue someone else’s opinion of you. The keyword there is overvalue, because it’s still important to receive advice and feedback from others. Absolutely no one can chase success alone without the help of others, but if you only ever care about someone else’s opinion, every decision you make won’t be for yourself; it will be for them.

You need to drown out the noise of what everyone else thinks and find a way to make decisions that are your own. You have to make decisions aided by other’s feedback, but not ruled by it. Not only will this help you with your professional growth, but it will help you with your personal growth and happiness too. Stop overvaluing everyone’s opinion of you and it will open more doors than you can count, only because you’re willing to walk through them.

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