“I don’t give a dern what other people think,
Whaddya think about that?”
– Lyric from Montgomery Gentry’s “What Do Ya Think About That?”
Of course we care.
But, do we care too much?
Sometimes I wonder. I care what my folks think, and what they thought, and I’m hoping to make up for prior “ooops’s” there. I care what my wife thinks, and I care deeply what my kids think. I care most of all that I’m living up to the Manufacturer’s expectations, but beyond that, the circle is pretty small. That might be right, it might be wrong, but it’s what I gotta go with. Others will try to influence, but unless it’s someone who matters a lot, I think we’re better off being who we are.
The chorus goes like this:
“Some people care about what other people think,
Worry ‘bout what they say…
Let a little gossip, comin’ from a loose lip ruin a perfect day,
Sayin’ “Blah, blah, blah” just a jackin’ their jaw
Gotta let it roll off o’ my back…”
…and then the opening lyric closes it out.
What do we think about that?
Does caring what other people think cause us to be too cautious? Then it ain’t good. Does letting a little gossip coming from a loose lip ruin a perfect day? Then remove yourself from the rumor monger. The more we let roll of our back, the more likely we are to be whoever we really are, and that, friends, is good enough.
These times call for action and decisiveness. These times call for caring a little more about who we are, and standing for it, than they do about worrying about what other people think. These times call for initiative and swagger, not for tentativeness and staying behind the curtain.
What do you think about that? (And I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know…)
Jim Briggs says
I think that sometimes people want to be the one whose thoughts matter to too many people. It’s the flip side… Not only is it a small circle whose thoughts matter to me, but should it not also be a small circle to whom my thoughts matter?
Steve Heston says
Oh, you go deep here, Jim, with an awesome question! From where I sit, it depends on how widely one intends to cast the net. Did MLK, Jr. intend to touch the whole world, or just a few people? Don’t know, but we can look back and see that it was a wide net, indeed. It’s a self examination worth conducting, though, isn’t it?
I’d LOVE to hear more thoughts on this topic…
Barb Woods says
In Eastern philosophy, it might be called being “The Seer” or being “The Seen.” Am I the one who is present to my own self and is the one who sees what is going on in and around me–or am I the one who is second guessing what others see in me? Life got lots more fun when I shifted to being the seer! Easier, too!
Steve Heston says
Good wisdom, Barb!
Mick Kirisits says
Agree as always; however, there are two sides to the coin. Caring what others think can also be an effective motivator. Ya just need balance! I always performed my best when interfacing with you cause I really cared what you thought!
Steve Heston says
FIrst, what kind words, and the same is / was true of me. It’s why our teams did so well together, because they saw what was important to the guys in charge. And balance, I believe, is part of life’s secret sauce — a sauce I sample but long for in larger helpings!