Please, everyone, and you end up pleasing none. Simply put, when you try to please everyone, you can’t satisfy anyone. So please yourself. Let me explain it here.
Surely, you had read the story of the man, son, and donkey in Aesop’s fable. So you know what the man and his son tried to satisfy all. Then you also know what happened to the donkey and them in the end. The whole episode satisfies none. At least that’s what I see it.
“Everyone’s so timid and afraid to insult anybody, but in the end, it’s like we’re all trying to please everyone. In the end, we please no one.”
Life was just not fair for the man and his son when they tried to please all. But it’s not so easy to find out such incidents from real life unless you keep your eyes open.
When you want to please others, then you want the approval of others. So your life depends on others. If they reject you, you’d feel dejected. As a result, your self-esteem and performance go down. But the point is for a successful life; you need the approval of yourself only. Once you do so, your self-esteem instantly goes up, making you successful in the end.
When I tried to please everyone
Some people are blessed with the inborn talent to express their views freely. I don’t belong to that category.
So when I started my work life, I hesitated to express my thoughts freely, thinking it’d hurt others. What did I do then? I spoke exactly opposite the way I wanted to tell. I thought it’d please anyone in front of me. But I found out, I could satisfy most of my colleagues, and my boss, but couldn’t gratify a few of the members of the trade unions. Sometimes it happened otherwise, too. So I could not make out what to do. But as I grew older, my experiences taught me to please none,
Further exploration
Think of any class teacher who taught you in your school. If he could then try to satisfy every student like you, do you think he could have done it? Think of any student in your class who could satisfy all of your class teachers. I think you’d find none.
So what is the best course of action you can take?
- Don’t try to satisfy all.
- Follow your heart.
- Ask yourself, “Does my decision align with my values? If the answer is yes, then go ahead.
I am sure you will like this beautiful quote.
“What people think does not matter. 5 out of 10 people will never be pleased with us, pleasing the remaining 5 will unplease the pleased ones before. Therefore just please yourself and let it go.”
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So, please none, instead you just please yourself.