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Stop Worrying About What Other People Think
Why are we so concerned with other people’s viewpoints? We all make choices and behaviors based on how some will view us at some stage. As a consequence, we don’t do what we want to do because we’re worried about what other people will say. Some people, on the other hand, seem to have nothing else to do but threaten to bring others down.
Think about a time when you were extremely anxious say, before standing up to publicly speak, raising your hand in a big meeting, or even walking through a room of strangers. The reason you felt small and scared and tense is you were worried about social disapproval.
Our fear of other people’s opinions, or FOPO as I call it, has become an irrational and unproductive obsession in the modern world, and its negative effects reach far beyond performance. If you find yourself experiencing FOPO, there are ways to dampen the intensity of your stress responses. Once you’re aware of your thoughts, guide yourself toward confidence-building statements (I am a good public speaker, I’ve put in the work so that I can trust my abilities, I have a lot of great things to say, I’m completely prepared for this promotion). These statements will help you focus on your skills and abilities rather than others’ opinions. Take deep breaths, too. This will signal to your brain that you’re not in immediate danger.
