Start proving to those who do believe in you, RIGHT.
“I just want to prove people wrong!” is a horrible long-term growth strategy.
Why try to leverage motivation from people who don’t care about you?
They don’t ‘hate you’. They hate that you’re doing it & they’re not.
Instead, aim to prove people who do believe in you, RIGHT.”
-Ray Zingler on X
“I just want to prove people wrong!”
When I first started out in business as a young gun, I implemented this strategy.
I’d get up at 4 o’clock in the morning.
I’d work straight 7’s every week.
I’d work 80-hour weeks.
I’d skip family meals, vacations, and holidays, too.
I did this for years.
Why?
Because I knew you weren’t willing to and my willingness to do it would ensure that I’d beat you.
I was going to prove you wrong.
But then I figured out a few things.
1) I was playing this game and trying to beat mostly an invisible opponent.
2) If there was someone who didn’t believe in me and I did in fact “prove them wrong” what would that accomplish for me?
3) Would trying to prove to those who do love and believe in me, RIGHT, not be a better long-term strategy?
When I hear this “prove people wrong” nonsense, now, I cringe.
Prove who wrong? Why? What will that do? Increase the size of your ego and your own internal perception of winning?
I know damn well that’s what it did for me.
When I did prove (the unseen) people wrong, do you know what it did for me?
Absolutely nothing other than keep me on the wild goose chase that eventually leads to burn out.
I found out there was no value in trying to and/or actually prove people wrong, long term.
They didn’t care if I did. And it didn’t do anything positive for me even if I did.
So after a while (thanks maturity) I adjusted course.
I thought about my mother and father.
My wife.
My godfather.
My mentors.
My real friends.
My athletes. Their family’s.
I decided I am going to start trying to continue to prove them right.
They were the ones who loved & believed in me so if I’m going to seek “motivation” (discipline) from somewhere that’s where I am going.
What happened?
It lit a fire in me that I am not sure can be put out.
I’m not doing it for the “haters”.
I’m doing it for those who told me I could.
That prove people wrong stuff is short lived and for the birds.
Prove people right.
You’ll get a hell of a lot further.
