In life, there are some people who always wear designer clothes, drive fancy cars, and eat at fancy restaurants.
These people seem to be very particular, but they’re actually just trying to show off their status and taste in front of others.
They’re always worried about what other people think, living like products displayed in a store window.
In psychology, we call these people “window people.”
Virginia Woolf, a British writer, said, “One should not be a mere spectator of life but rather a participant in it. Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.”
Instead of living in someone else’s world, worrying all the time, you should be able to blossom in your own world.
When you reach middle age, you should walk your own path. Don’t become a “window person.”
Don’t Let Other People’s Expectations Lead You Off Track
There’s a quote in the book *Silent Confession*: “We spend our whole lives trying to get rid of other people’s expectations and find our true selves.”
If you always hide yourself to meet other people’s expectations, you’ll only end up hurting yourself.
A truly smart person knows not to pay for other people’s expectations.
My college friend, John, studied international finance. He got a job at a Fortune 500 company after graduation because he did so well in school.
His parents were proud of him, and his friends looked up to him.
However, he was constantly working overtime and under a lot of pressure. He didn’t have time to spend with his parents or girlfriend. He was also burning himself out because he stayed up late.
John decided to leave the finance company and start his own business back home.
When he quit, his coworkers tried to convince him to stay. “This industry is demanding, but it pays well. Life is tough everywhere.”
His parents were strongly against it. They thought he had such a decent job, why would he quit? The job market wasn’t good, and starting a business was very risky.
Even though everyone was against it, John still decided to use all his savings to open a logistics company.
He had to find a storefront, a warehouse, and staff. He had to buy equipment and facilities, and register the company. He ran into a lot of problems along the way, but he gritted his teeth and solved them all.
After years of hard work, John’s logistics company grew bigger and bigger. He made more money than before, and he had time to spend with his family.
John said, “Starting a company was always my dream. Now I’ve finally done it. It’s been tough these past few years, but I love it.”
Seeing his success, his friends and family no longer had any objections to his decision to leave his job.
Yang Jiang once said, “The world is your own, it has nothing to do with others.”
Sadly, there are always people who suppress their own thoughts and ignore their own feelings just to get others’ approval.
Ultimately, we lose our right to choose.
In the script of life, don’t let other people’s expectations drown out your own voice.
Only then can you find your own path.
Don’t Let Other People’s Opinions Determine Your Direction
On her birthday, a music streamer decided to donate all the money she made from her live stream to fans in need.
However, her kindness caused a trust crisis.
Many people mocked her, saying she didn’t donate enough and that she was just trying to trick people into sending gifts.
These negative comments made Sarah very upset.
She became afraid to face the camera and didn’t want to meet new people. She eventually ran away to live in a small mountain village.
If you care too much about what other people think, you’ll only make yourself more miserable.
Only by blocking out the noise and staying true to yourself can you live the life you want.
Lily is a 56-year-old janitor. One day, she discovered oil painting and fell in love with it.
From then on, she started learning how to paint in her spare time.
Her coworkers knew about it and teased her. “You haven’t sold many paintings, and you haven’t gotten rich. Why bother making yourself so tired?”
She just smiled and ignored them. She continued to paint.
When she was 53, she decided to move to a big city to pursue her painting career.
People in her village gossiped about it and even mocked her. “We knew she didn’t have the luck or the fortune. She’s old now, and she’s still wandering around cleaning toilets.”
But no matter how loud the voices around her were, she kept painting.
In 2021, when Lily started posting her work on social media, she got a lot of positive feedback from people. Some even called her “the painter from a humble room.”
Soon after, she was invited to appear on a TV show.
“To be happy, you have to forget about the question, ‘What will other people think of me?’”
You can’t make everyone in the world like you.
If you care too much about what other people think, your life will be like a puppet controlled by invisible strings. You’ll be forced to follow a predetermined path.
Ultimately, you’ll become more and more exhausted, and you’ll lose your own happiness.
Life is short. Don’t let other people’s opinions affect your direction in life.
Don’t Look for Your Way Out on Someone Else’s Track
Everyone in life has their own track.
The worst thing you can do in life is try to copy someone else’s success on their track.
Instead of hitting your head against a wall, stick to your own time zone and pace, and live a fulfilling life.
Mike is a programmer at a mid-sized tech company. He doesn’t make a lot of money.
One day, an old classmate invited him to invest in a live-streaming company. Mike didn’t even think twice before turning him down.
His wife asked him, “Why not try it? It’s such a good opportunity.”
He answered, “No matter how good someone else’s shoes are, they won’t fit my feet. I’m only good at coding.”
He used to quit his job and start a card game with his friends because he thought coding was too slow to make money.
But their game launched, but it didn’t get any promotion. They quickly ran out of their initial investment.
Mike wasn’t giving up. He heard that the restaurant business was hot and that it was easy to make money.
So he borrowed money and opened a hot pot restaurant. But he didn’t know anything about managing a restaurant, and he had to close it down.
Mike wasted three years and not only didn’t make any money, he spent all his savings.
That’s when he realized that blindly copying other people’s success on his own path would only lead to disappointment.
He found a new job as a front-end programmer and worked hard.
Soon after, he was promoted to technical director because of his outstanding performance.
There’s a saying: “No matter how fancy someone else’s shoes are, they won’t fit your feet. No matter how delicate someone else’s bowl is, it won’t fit your hands.”
In this vast world, everyone has their own path to walk.
Instead of following someone else’s path, set sail for yourself.
A good life never needs to be rushed.
For the rest of your life, listen to your heart and slowly find your own way. That’s the most satisfying way to live.
“I want to be independent and live according to my own will. I will accept what I need, and I will not desire what I do not need.”
Stick to your own pace, and you’ll be able to live a relaxed life.
Don’t live in other people’s expectations. You can live a clear and transparent life.
Don’t care about other people’s opinions. You can be free to be yourself.
Don’t run on someone else’s track. You can find the right way for you.