The way I see it, we can try to please people, or we can try to serve people.
Pleasing people often involves a mutation, where we become something we are not. It involves changing our DNA so that we fit in the box everyone wants us to fit in. Unfortunately, without divine intervention, DNA doesn’t just “change” – so often, we find ourselves TRYING to be someone we’re not, then we get hurt and upset when someone stops liking us because we didn’t please them.
Serving is different. This is where we stay true to who we were created to be. We nurture, shape and sharpen our talents into skills that we can use to add value to the lives of others. And then, we do our best to keep our needs in check in the grand scheme… to keep our desires and passions in the place that allows us to put the needs of our family, our friends, our customers before our own (wherever and whenever it is appropriate to do so. Sometimes we have to take care of our own needs, or have our own needs met as well!)
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to please people. The people will never be pleased. There is always someone who doesn’t like you… someone who disagrees with you… and even people who want to love you, but only serve themselves. If you tie your value and your worth to pleasing these folks, it’s going to hurt when they walk away, when they critique your methods, when they question your dream.
Instead, endeavor to be good at who you are. Be the best YOU that you can be, and then use the talents that you’ve got to serve others. Even the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company is in the service business (or should be) – leading and coaching his business to success, making sure his employees needs are met, making sure his customers, distributors, and vendors needs are met.
Be you, and be him (her) well. Be satisfied in that, and you won’t need the approval that man gives you.