The Day You Stop Seeking Validation, You Win

A note to young leaders.

Let go of your desire to impress others, including your mentors – especially your mentors.

There is an old story about a disciple who left his guru to meditate and seek enlightenment.

Every six months he would send a note to his guru to report on his progress.

“Now I understand what it means to lose the self.”

The guru threw the note away.

Six months later: “Now I have attained sensitivity to all beings.”

Again, the guru threw it away.

Then: “Now I understand the secret of the one and the many.”

Into the bin it went.

This continued for years – until one day, the notes stopped arriving.

The guru was curious and sent someone to investigate what happened to the disciple.

Finally, he got a note from the disciple. It said simply: “I can’t be bothered.”

The guru was delighted: “He made it! He made it! He finally got it!”

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Get busy working on things that really matter to you (not someone else) – and the desire to impress others will simply fall away.