When we venture into the unknown, faith and optimism are essential to success.

Greetings and Happy Wednesday. I’m fresh off of recording one podcast episode on Monday and ready to record another with a great friend and mentor of mine this evening. I can’t believe how things are moving along for this passion project podcast of mine. I’ll admit that when I sat out on this journey, I could see it getting derailed pretty easily. But by being consistent and steady with my work, I am starting to see it become a reality.

There have been so many who have given me support on this mission of mine. For that I am very grateful. Unfortunately, there have been a few that have not had that same positive encouragement or understanding for what I am trying to do. I was initially bothered by not everyone enjoying or encouraging what I am trying to do.

That brings to light one of my character traits that is both a blessing and a curse. I am a people-pleaser by nature. According the the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, I am a ENFJ (nicknamed the Protagonist). I’m not going to get too deep into the weeds on this one because its honestly out of my depth. However, one key characteristic of Protagonists such as myself is their focus on other people. We are charasmatic, altruistic, and tolerant. We want to bring all people together. However, as a result of this, we are often sensitive and get our feelings hurt easily.

So, as you could imagine, I was very taken aback to folks not having the encouraging words that a few have had. Unfortunately for me, I have a bad habit of focusing on the negative words of a few over the overwhelmingly positive words of many. I worry so much about what I could’ve done to make everyone happy.

This is a mindset I have struggled with my entire life. The truth is that my natural mindset is backward of what it should be. I should be overwhelmingly exuberant at all the people who are supporting me and pay no mind to those who are negative. Those who are negative provide me with nothing and divert me off my righteous path. I’m reminded at a quote from the late great Zig Ziglar “Some people find fault like there is a reward for it.” You are not going to please everyone, so there is no sense in trying. Focus on the positive that can help you out and ignore the rest.

I was reminded of this priciple during my morning scripture study today. I was reading in the Book of Mormon in the 3rd Book of Nephi. In the book of Helaman, Samuel the Lamanite prophecizes the signs that will precede the coming of Christ to his people. Those signs are starting to come to fruition in 3 Nephi. However, despite the signs that are manifesting, there are still people who remain resistant and proclaimed that these signs were in fact false.

3 Nephi 1:23 reads “And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord. “

Even though we know something to be right and true, there will be people and other deterrents along our path that are set out to convince us we are not on the righteous path. My buddy Clay Conry told me once that when people start pushing back on our work, then we must be doing something right.

This goes for whatever you may be doing. Whether it be starting a podcast or changing the way you run your ranch. When we change, we are going to run into people who will oppose us. Joel Salatin said in one of his books ” When faith in our freedom gives way to fear of our freedom, silencing the minority view becomes the operative protocol.” When we challenge the status quo, we are bound to have folks who are going to try to silence us. It is through perseverance, optimism, and faith that we may be able to succeed.

Thanks for taking a read today. I’m so excited for this project of mine and am happy so many others are excited as well. Please follow this blog and share with anyone else