I’m a recovering approval addict…

Most of my life, I’ve felt I needed approval from others in order to feel good about myself. Needing people to agree with me. Needing people to like me.

But we all know the truth—you can’t be liked by everyone, and you certainly won’t be understood by everyone.

Something that’s helped me keep this perspective is a lesson from 1984.

In the 1984 presidential election, Ronald Reagan won one of the biggest presidential landslides in U.S. history—525 electoral votes to 13. Yet when you look at the popular vote, he only received 59%...

Now, when I was in school, 59% was a failing grade.

And this is in a profession where success literally depends on being liked—and millions upon millions of dollars are spent trying to get people to like you.

Even then… 59% is all he got, and that was considered a “landslide.”

I believe the need for approval is one of the biggest things that handcuffs people to anxiety and keeps them from moving toward their goals and dreams. It has certainly played a big factor in my life, and it’s one I’m actively working on improving.

So instead of chasing approval, start working on becoming self-secure—getting your confidence internally from who you are, your higher power, and things that can’t waver—not from other people’s opinions. Because at the end of the day, you’ll only get about 59%...

“Needing approval is tantamount to saying, ‘Your view of me is more important than my own opinion of myself.’”
— Wayne Dyer

Easy Easy,

-Luke Falk

See you next Monday! 

Photo credit: 270 to Win