Think of the person in your life who commands the most respect and approval. Chances are, that person is heavily opinionated and clearly defined, and does not change his or her behavior so as to win the approval of others. In other words, the people who have the most approval are not the ones who seek it out.

You can never gain approval by seeking it. Rather, people will respect and approve of you because of your integrity and consistency. Follow your own path. The world needs the contributions of each individual. If we were all the same, life would have little meaning.