By Dawn Onley

Throughout life, we will meet people who will discourage us. There will be people who won’t believe in us and in our abilities to do what we say we’re going to do. There will also be people who we’ll support wholeheartedly but who won’t support us in return.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but one day you’ll thank them. If not directly, you’ll be thankful that you had detractors because it builds something inside of you that can’t come any other way. Sure, it’s hurtful. Yes, it may cause frustration and disappointment, even anger. But if we’re honest, it also motivates us to prove them wrong.

We are good enough. We are smart enough. The idea can work. We have what it takes.

I love being underestimated. I think it’s a blessing in disguise. When we are underestimated, it puts less pressure on us. We get to kind of fly under the radar. If we don’t succeed, the naysayers thought we wouldn’t anyway. No big deal. Shrug. If we do succeed, mouths drop. The naysayers didn’t see it coming. They are genuinely surprised.

See? Either way we win. And winning feels great.