Who are you seeking validation from?

This may be a tough question initially, and could be a deep physiological barrier for some of us.  Getting a little vulnerable here; when I was 14 years old I recall working for my father-helping him out in his business at the time.  I recall being your typical teenager, just wanting to hang out with friends, and being at my father’s business day in and day out was getting pretty mundane.  I would ask to leave a bit early to catch up with more exciting things, and I recall my father saying, “You will never amount to anything.”  I also recall a few years later him mentioning that I was never going to be a good business man.  I don’t think at the time I realized the affect this had on me, at the time I just dismissed it…but over the years I never lost sight of what he said.  Even to this day at 44 I find myself analyzing things; do I do certain things for validation, do I push to succeed to show my father that I am worthy?  I think by asking ourselves “who are you seeking validation from?” can certainly open ourselves up for more enlightenment, and perhaps get to the heart of why we do the things we do. 

Luis Goncalves