It's true. People will judge you.

Blogger James Altucher once said something that had me drop my spoon in my morning yoghurt.

He said, 'I don't publish my writing if I don't feel nervous before doing it.'

Wait, hang on a minute.

Aren't we supposed to be aiming for a sense of confidence in our work?

Isn't life about steering clear of potential criticism?

Aren't we far happier without inviting in the heckles of displeased readers?

Fortunately, I took his words to heart.

And it transformed not only my writing, but how I navigated this chaotic reality.

Many of us are so stunted by the possibility that we be made out a fool that we are greatly limited, often without realising it.

And we operate this way because we place undue weight on the opinions and assessments of others.

If we genuinely believe that criticism can harm us in real ways, we're actually fairly screwed.

Because people will judge.

I won't sugarcoat it as most gurus do. People really do judge.

And they will judge what you have to say.

The issue is not whether they will but how you respond to this truth.

In fact, the bolder you are in your willingness to take a stand for what you believe in, the more likely people will react.

You don't stand a chance in success if you're worried about the implications of upsetting another human.

Sorry.

But here sits the opportunity, and it's one I learned through more than a decade of publishing my words online.

If you can be okay with the reality that others will judge, it no longer matters what you say, the intensity with which you say it and the frequency at which you share it.

It's all fair game.

Today, though I often get nervous before I hit 'send,' it no longer stops me from sharing.

Because I know judgement is inevitable.

And often, it comes from a place of insecurity in the recipient.

That's on them, not on me.

Plus, I know that if no one dislikes my writing, I’m playing it too safe.

The same thinking applies to whatever you do. If you plan on embarking on a journey of self-expression, you must be open to seeing the disgruntled frown on the faces of those who stumble on your work.

But if you can see why this holds far less meaning than you might be inclined to place on it...

You can say, ‘Big woop.’

Then you will be free.

I show you exactly how to no longer be affected by the judgements of other people in my course: Untethered Mind.

Because this is a game of thought management.

Managing not the thoughts of others - but your own.

You can't lose when you put less weight on the apparent power of your own thoughts.

Over to you.