One of the most valuable tidbits I took from Seth Godin’s marketing seminar last fall was, “Anybody who reads their own reviews on Amazon is an idiot.” His point was that helpful criticism from people you know, trust and respect can be useful. But you’re better off ignoring a few 1-star negative reviews from the masses. He revisited this idea on his blog recently, and it got me thinking about how it might apply to high school students.
Your high school persona can sometimes feel like it’s being given 1-5 star ratings from people who don’t even know you. People will critique (and maybe sometimes even praise) your looks, clothes, personality, behavior, romantic interests, etc. whether or not you invite them to. So you really have two options:
1. Listen to everybody and try to please all of them. It won’t work and it will drive you crazy. But it’s still an option.
2. You can chart your own path and surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you are. That’s your fan club. They don’t need to be convinced.
If a close friend and fan who has always been good to you tells you you’re acting like a jerk, it’s probably worth listening. But the masses who don’t know or get you? You’d be an idiot to listen to those reviews.