Colin O’Brady Instagram – This is your life. You have the power to decide exactly how you want to live it. I thought telling my grandma that I quit my job was hard. Years later, I found out what hard really was when I started telling people that I planned to walk across Antarctica alone. Imagine how many versions of “that’s a terrible idea,” “don’t do that,” “it’s impossible,” and “you’re going to fail” I heard when I announced that expedition. Countless. But that didn’t stop me from trying. When I returned home from my successful solo crossing of Antarctica, I quieted the critics who originally told me it was a bad idea. However, an entirely new group of critics raised their hands, saying disparaging things like my crossing was “achievable” and “contrived.” You’ll rarely, if ever, be criticized by someone who’s living their best life. Chances are, those people will know — and respect — the challenges of your pursuit. More often, criticism comes from those who are disappointed by the outcomes of their own lives and need a target for their frustration and insecurity. Is there a time and place to listen to constructive criticism, advice, or feedback? Yes, absolutely. The key is learning how to discern constructive criticism from destructive criticism.