Not Everyone Will Get It… And That’s Not Their Fault

When I was at MegaCon, an aspiring creator came up to me with a question that I think a lot of people carry but don’t always ask out loud. He was essentially asking — how do you deal with the people closest to you doubting what you’re trying to build? How do you make family and friends understand your vision?
I’m not going to sugarcoat this. The reality is a lot of them aren’t going to understand. They’re not going to see what you see. Any business owner can probably tell you the same thing — it doesn’t matter if they run a restaurant or a publishing company. Along the way, someone they cared about tried to talk them out of it, told them what they were doing was a waste of time, or suggested they try something else. It’s an inevitable part of the process.
You’re going to have people close to you who simply don’t understand what you’re trying to do or where you’re trying to go. And most of them aren’t doing it maliciously. They just don’t get it. They might never get it. That doesn’t mean they’re coming at you with bad intentions — that’s just how things work. Not everyone can see something that doesn’t exist yet. That’s what makes you the entrepreneur or the creator — you’re the one carrying a vision that nobody else can see until you build it.
So my advice is simple. Prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for this to happen. Accept that there will be people you care about who won’t understand, and don’t let that stop you from moving forward. Their doubt doesn’t mean your vision is wrong. It just means they can’t see it yet.