Break Apart From The Pack.

One thing that will forever drive me insane is when I see people get extremely worried about what others think about them. Whether it be on social media, during a speech, or in a simple conversation where they express their own opinion, people are always afraid of what everyone else will think. 

I have reiterated this before, but society is a lot like a herd of sheep, nobody generally wants to break the path of the herd and separate themselves in fear of being lost or outcasted. Just like sheep, we feel vulnerable when we break from that zone of comfort in pursing passions that may seem somewhat unrealistic. 

It sure does not help that most of those in your inner circle, if not all, will not give you an ounce of support or provide confidence when it comes to you taking a risk. This is okay, there is a quote that has been posted before on the PRIM8TE Instagram account, it states " not everyone will understand your journey. That's okay. You're here to live your life, not to make everyone understand". 

I first came across this quote at 19 years old while scrolling through Facebook, and to be honest, I can truly say that I had never given a fuck as to what anybody thought of me. Although looking back it is because I was pretty much already outcasted from the pack without a choice, not everybody has this luxury. 

Why do I refer to this as a luxury? I learned to do things where I couldn't have given a single fuck about what people thought about me, I still don't. For instance, I never drank unless it was the occasional beer, never smoked, didn't party, and sure as hell was not hanging out with people to prove my worth and climb the social ladder. I dealt with a lot of "you're lame, you're a loser, a nobody, a bore", and it goes on. I spent Friday and Saturday nights training, chilling with friends by a bonfire pit, watching fights, or spending time with family. 

It is harder for people that have been apart of a group all throughout their life (the cool kid's table in high-school, the fraternity in University, the parent with insane connections). Say you go to start a business, I guarantee if the group is egotistical and insecure, they are going to do their very best to reassure you that starting a business and risking something is a horrible decision, and you will probably agree out of fear and live life without pursuing anything challenging.

I get asked questions a lot, well what do you think so-and-so will think if I do this without them. If I quit my current job with my friend to pursue a personal business or if I forget about going to university to pursue something outside of academics, won't they be upset, will they reject or forget about me? The simple answer to that, WHO GIVES A FUCK!

It sounds cutthroat, and that's because it is ... if your inner circle has a problem with you pursuing a passion, or striving for goals you've set, fuck em, fuck em all. Before you know it you are locked into a full-time career and you missed your chance to do something you actually love because of Chad, who you no longer talk to, but he was from your high school friend group and convinced you that buying 800$ worth of tee shirts for your brand idea was a terrible investment and would set you back ....... thanks Chad (sarcasm**). 

The reality is, yes taking a step into the dark can be quite horrifying, it can also be very rewarding. I invested in a business when I was 22, I lost 2000$, never made that money back, yes I was pissed, yes I fucking wanted to lose my shit on my business partner, did I stare at my bank account and cry a little, yes, but we move on and we live to see another day. We learn a lot from failing and taking risks, but it does not mean because you fail you should start worrying what everyone thinks and jump back into that herd of sheep and go right back to your safe zone.  

Some moron told me three years ago, "Prim8te is such a stupid name, it sounds like Primate-te-te, major marketing flaw there, good luck with that business" ........ I legit was only a year in and this random dude comes along and makes me question the name choice for a second or two. Well, I didn't listen, nor should I have, but there is always going to be someone making you second guess, making you feel like you made the wrong decision, like you took a risk worth nothing. At the end of the day, they were too cowardly to break apart from the pack, which is why they are so damn miserable and critical of others. 

In summary, if you want to pursue something you feel strongly about, strategize and get after it. Fuck what everyone else thinks, break apart from the pack.