Anything worth achieving in life has a dip

No, the only way to know what people think is to watch what they do, not what they say. Do they come back for more? Do you cause them to change their behavior? Can you make them smile?

Embracing the fear of freedom, deciding to determine your own path, this is the work of a grownup.

The desire that we have to do something that’s never been done before means that the people who are around you generally will not encourage you to do it…if they were encouraging you to do it, then other people would be doing it already and it wouldn’t be unique.

You can listen to what people say, sure. But you will be far more effective if you listen to what people do.

That's your opportunity - to approach your work in a way that generates unique learning and interactions that are worth sharing.

My best advice: win little battles. Get in the habit of winning, of shipping, of having customers that can't live without you. Once you've demonstrated you know how to do the art, then go after the windmills.