People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.”

― Kent M. Keith, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council

In words, this is great advice. The thing is, when you face reality, this often becomes a case of, “easier said than done.”

How painful is it when you aren’t appreciated, and what you do is discredited, sabotaged and destroyed? How even more painful is it when you are nothing but the best intentions?

It freaking sucks!

But fear not, this is not a cop out. I’m not suggesting you ignore the above quote’s advice. I’m fully in support of the advice above. You need to do what you need to do, and with your fullest and upmost ability and potential.

• Ignore the haters. Embrace the supporters.
• Shun the thieves, bullies and users. Keep giving to those that appreciate it.
• Be yourself. There will never be another you again. Marvel in that fact.
• Make art. Art is made for those that appreciate it and no one else.
• Do good in the world. Not only will it come back around, but it will make you happier.

Do this all for yourself first. Then align the doing for yourself with the benefiting of others. That’s where you get life-changing results.

Too many people seek validation of other people. The ironic thing is, it’s the artists that create the art they want to create for themselves that end up doing the best.

You may not be appreciated the way you want to be or think you should be. This is just life. Only a minority % of the world is ever given all the respect and adulation they desire. Most of us have to make do with what we get. The way to combat this is to focus on you.

By focusing on yourself, you do what you do because that’s what you do. Awards, praise, or validation mean nothing; if you get them you get them, but it won’t change what you do either way.

And that is the way.

Most people try to do things they think will be popular or will sell. This is from a place outside of themselves. It is inauthentic. And it usually fails because of it.

You have to create value for other people to be successful. This is the way things are now. The thing is, you can’t really create value for others if you aren’t first creating value for yourself. You have to align your passions with creating value for others. When you do that, you have your life’s work.

Because the Internet now connects the world together, if you are creating value, people will take notice. It can be a slow, arduous process, but if you keep creating, you will find those that appreciate you and your work.

This concept applies to anything in life.

Are you looking for your soul mate? Be authentic and genuine and helpful to other people and he or she will eventually come around.

Want better relationships with your friends and family? Give more.

Want that promotion? Help others around you even if that means you set someone else up for that same promotion.

Keep building. Keep pressing on.