I don’t want to be a psychologist, but I often wonder what people are thinking and why. I wonder if many of their decisions are made on the spur of the moment without much thought, or the result of some outside pressure. I don’t understand either, because I take time to process things and peer pressure never really influences me.
Shane Parrish shared in a recent blog the effect peer pressure can have on people:
“When your primary goal is to be liked, you can’t take risks. You can’t disagree. You can’t push boundaries. You become a prisoner of other people’s expectations.”
This made complete sense to me! Most people are more concerned about being liked. They are afraid to take risks for fear of being judged. However, the exact opposite is true! Let me explain.
No one likes a coward. Brown-nosers and people-pleasers go beyond annoying. They are not in control of their lives. They are prisoners, as Shane Parrish points out.
People who are principled and hold strong opinions have a sense of freedom and happiness. They are confident and not afraid to take risks. This was Charlie Kirk. Charlie was so confident in his opinions that he went into college campuses to debate those who didn’t agree with him. He took huge risks because he believed in what he was doing.
Despite his confidence, Charlie was able to remain civil. He believed in civil discourse and was able to treat everyone with respect and dignity due to his strong faith.
Charlie Kirk is a great inspiration for us to stand up, speak out and take risks. Who are you afraid of offending? What is holding you back?
Quote Worth Re-Quoting
“You have enemies? Good! That means you’ve stood up for something sometime in your life.” ~ Winston Churchill