fishjam I have found that I have to be careful who I talk to about my goals. Not everyone is the right audience. Someone told me about the analogy of the giraffe and the turtle, started by a preacher TD Jakes. It goes like this: the giraffe and the turtle see things from their own levels (the giraffe from a higher level, the turtle from a lower level). Since these two literally don't see eye to eye on things, they are not a good source of support for each other.

The goal is to be a giraffe and surround yourself with other giraffes, and avoid letting the turtles around you make you feel bad. For example, I shared a goal I had with someone who did not support my pursuit of that goal at all. Does that mean this person was right and I was wrong? No.

In hindsight, I was a giraffe asking a turtle for their opinion. What I will do from now on, is only ask other giraffes for their opinions. Once I know that someone's beliefs and opinions are meant to diminish my perspective -- as a turtle will do to a giraffe -- I have two choices: internalize their cynicism and negativity as "my truth" when they tell me that I won't be successful, or, realize that I accidentally confided in a turtle and not take anything they tell me seriously.

I feel like I'm alone on my journey too, like you feel, fishjam, because all this time, I've been a giraffe who allowed turtles to influence her choices. It's scary to be brave and be true to yourself. I have goals like you do. Now, I am only going to seek out other like-minded people and stop telling everyone I meet about my goals. I am going to limit what I tell people until I can sense that they are a kindred spirit.