Validation is a double edged sword.
After the advent of social media, all of us scurry for ‘likes’. We want more people to ‘like’ the stuff that we post online. All of this gives us a sense of validation. When someone you like or respect responds to something you share, you immediately get a dopamine hit.
More than looking for validation, I think we need to seek out honest critics, people who say ‘this is nice, but here’s how you can make it better’. Also, looking for validation from people who don’t have your best interests in mind can be lethal. You can endlessly wait for a word of encouragement or praise that will never come.
Validation is easy to find and in little doses makes us feel good. But waiting for validation to move forward is a surefire way of ensuring that we never do the work that are capable of doing.
