How do we grab someone’s attention?

It’s what we want. For people to see us, listen to us, and treat our ideas with respect.

So imagine if you’re giving a speech on a topic you’re most passionate about and you notice someone sitting down on their phone. Or, perhaps more likely, you’re at a party striking a conversation, and someone is doing the same.

You might just be trying to figure out why they aren’t paying attention. What’s wrong with your ideas, or even yourself. What you need to do to make them like you. And all of a sudden they receive all of your attention as you become fixated on getting theirs.

But as Zig Ziglar advises, you’re simply trying to appease someone out there who isn’t interested in what you have to say or believe. And even worse, you’re depriving someone who is interested the opportunity to hear you in your true nature.

While we may not find ourselves in these particular contexts, most of us experience them in our imagination.

When we’re about to make a school/business presentation. When we’re about to make an online post. When we’re about to figure out what to wear. When you’re putting yourself on any kind of line.

We can imagine what our parents, friends, that online troll, or the average observe think. And we may try to find a way to average it all out and appease as many people as we can to get as much attention as we can.

But there again we lose the opportunity to give to those who truly believe in what we do to connect with our truest nature.

Your life and work isn’t a democracy to get everyone’s votes. Take actions true to yourself so you can be your best self. Those who can connect with give their attention and join you. You don’t need to do much more than express yourself.