Interesting, really, how people’s insecurities cause them to become their own worst criticizers. The criticism starts as a small “what if…” and grows until the insecurity becomes a reality.
Most of the time, I find this results from thinking that outside people care (negatively and positively) about what you do more than they actually do. Though it’s hard for me to grasp this sometimes, deep down I know that most people really don’t give a shit what you do or what you don’t do or how you do what you do. Why should it matter to them, anyways?
Take myself as an example: I have long thought that people cared about the quality of my posts on my site. I thought that if I either wrote from my heart or gave thought to what I wanted before I wrote it, I would gain the respect of my visitors – as those who give thought to their journals gain my own respect.
However, after almost a month of not writing here I came to this conclusion: regardless of what I write (or don’t write), the same people will continue reading and responding to my posts. Regardless of whether or not I choose to speak clearly, convolutedly, or not speak at all the same people will continue coming to my site.
This is because these are the people that already know me, or want to know more about me. Not those people who wantonly browse through sites looking for intelligent conversation. –I know, because though I respect those who write really well, I don’t have the time to read their sites: I’m too busy reading those sites of the people I want to know more about.
So, after that long analogy, what is the lesson that’s learned? PEOPLE DON’T CARE AS MUCH AS YOU MAY THINK THEY DO.
