By Daniel Chidiac
“Sometimes people take the great things you are doing as a personal attack
on their own life. Do not let their insecurities dishearten you.”
-Daniel Chidiac-
I was shopping for a pet fish for my nephew, and I explained to the
attendant that I couldn’t have one that grew too large as it was only
going in a bowl. He assured me I had nothing to worry about, because fish
will only grow in proportion to the size of their environment, and then
stop.
What a great analogy to the way humans adapt people and environments.
Everything in the world survives by adapting to its environment. The horny
lizard in North America is one of many animals that have proven this. It
mainly eats ants, and has formed thick scales to prevent being bitten
while having its platter of bugs. When its worst enemy, a coyote, shows
up, it needs to protect itself. Amazingly, through evolution this lizard
has developed the ability to shoot blood containing canine-repellent
chemicals out of its eye at its attacker.
You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that you will most likely
become like those you associate with. The wrong choices of associates
could prevent you from growing. What you feed your mind is what’s going to
manifest in your life. If you feed it garbage all day, what results are
you going to get? How are you going to feel?
When I was thirteen and getting myself into trouble with some other teens,
my grandfather told me, “When you hang around garbage, you start to
smell.” It was one of the boldest but truest statements I have ever heard.
I’m not telling you to go and dump your buddies, but I would reduce time
spent with them to small doses if they contradict what you want to
achieve. Some might need to be shown the door if your truth is telling you
it’s the best option. If you really want to learn Chinese, but hang around
people who speak Spanish all day, which language are you more likely to
pick up?
Often we unconsciously condition ourselves with similar mental, verbal,
and physical actions as our peers to satisfy our need for social
acceptance. Sometimes we feel that if we make massive change, our friends
will think we are stupid or crazy. Guess what—sometimes they do! We then
have to ask ourselves: If they are constantly seeing our positive changes
that way, are they really reliable friends? Your dearest friends might
also ridicule you, but they usually do it out of love. They feel as if
they are losing you or, on the other hand, your positive change might make
them feel insignificant. By beginning to excel in your life, it may show
them how unproductive they are being in their own. I understand that no
one wants to do that to their friends, but it’s no reason to stop living
the best life you possibly can. At the end of the day, it’s their personal
issue, and all you can do is communicate properly. Some people find it
most difficult to understand in the beginning, but they will eventually if
they are real friends.
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Excerpt from “Who Says You Can’t? YOU DO” by Daniel Chidiac. Being
released early 2012.
Daniel Chidiac has dedicated his life to finding the answers to “why some people are living an extraordinary life, while others are never really fulfilled?” Through his journey he has modeled the most successful people known to man, traveled overseas to meet with leaders who have the strongest mindset on the planet, interacted with exceptional achievers and coached people from all the around the globe.
