If there's one thing you'll encounter as you strive for excellence in any chosen field—whether it's singing, dancing, plumbing, or even shedding a few pounds to become the best version of yourself—it's this: people are gonna talk.

I mean, how dare you break free from mediocrity and start making a name for yourself!? Don’t you know the rules? You’re supposed to stay down here with the rest of us (crabs in a bucket, so to speak).

Now, don’t get me wrong—some close friends and family might cheer you on in the early stages (and in some cases, they won’t). But once you start breaking free from the status quo and truly excelling, well... let's just say, the proverbial crap will hit the fan.

Many call this Tall Poppy Syndrome, or as Michael Beckwith mentioned in his podcast with Jack Canfield (famous for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series), “Mediocrity always attacks excellence.”

Or, as Walter Russell so eloquently put it:
"Mediocrity is self-inflicted. Genius is self-bestowed."

The moment you shift out of mediocrity and start tapping into your own genius, you remove yourself from the “average” way of thinking—and spoiler alert: not everyone is going to like that. Sorry, but it’s true. And for some less-evolved folks (you know who they are), your success will feel like a personal attack.

In fact, there was a study on the most hated athletes on the planet—and guess what? They were all famous. The top 10–20 most disliked athletes were championship winners, MVPs, and record-breakers. Why? Because they excelled.

This just goes to show that some people, stuck in mediocrity, can’t stand watching others succeed. So, if you’re aiming for greatness in any area, expect resistance and pushback from the outside world.

Take Taylor Swift, for example. She receives more backlash and hate than almost any other musician. She even gave away $100 million—and guess what? People still had something negative to say. Why? Because she’s well-known and successful. Do you think anyone would care if she was just singing at the local bar? Nope.

The truth is, you may not be embraced as much as you expect. I’ve experienced this myself in my online career. I mean, I’m no Tony Robbins, but come on—give me a break! Sure, some people like me, but others actually go out of their way to put me down. I’ve learned to see it for what it is and, if possible, respond with positivity.

If they keep at it? I delete, smile, and move on.

At first, I was shocked—I won’t lie. But before I let my mind spiral down the rabbit hole, I reminded myself: if I wasn’t getting conflicting opinions, I probably wasn’t making an impact.

At the end of the day, you’re not playing for other people—you’re playing for your soul. You’re following your inner calling, and that’s what truly matters.

So if someone criticizes or mocks you, just know—it’s their insecurity, not yours. Don’t take it personally. Don’t fight them. Just love them for where they’re at, and recognize that they’re simply vibrating at a different frequency.

Much love,
Justin


























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