Blog Feature: Kiana Johnson on "Other People's Projections"

This week's blog is short and sweet. An amazing feature by an amazing writer, our friend Kiana Johnson. Despite Johnson's passion for writing, most people know her as the star athlete that she is. As a former Division I basketball player and current over-seas professional, Kiana has more than earned the right to be addressed as such. But aside from her talented athletic resume (which we literally don't have space to list,) she is also the soon to be author of an upcoming book that expresses in detail, her journey as an athlete, and most of all, human being. Hailing from the Uptown Chicago neighborhood, Kiana's raw truth bleeds both on the court and on the page. So without further ado, here's "Other People's Projections," a repost from her original blog "Uptown Raised Me" which can be found here.

Listening to one of my friends vlog about never surrendering motivated me to write this. Often times we get ideas and get excited about them. The next step should be, to put a plan together and execute your idea. What usually happens is, we get an idea and tell someone about it. We open ourselves up to other people’s projections. Those may often sound like “you won’t be able to do that,” “That’s not possible,” “why would want to do something like that?” “How you gone pull that off?” What is really being said is, “I won’t be able to do that,” “I can’t fathom how that” “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” “I don’t think I would be able to pull that off.”

After we hear these things we tend to walk away feeling discouraged and defeated because someone we know doesn’t support us. In reality we take another humans projections of what they think and how they feel and make them our own. These same humans did not come up with YOUR idea. Therefore why should we give them the permission to tear down what could possibly complete our legacy. Instead of allowing people to project what they think and feel onto you, block it before it happens. Keep your positive energy and thoughts around the people you know will support you and will help you conquer your dreams. That doesn’t mean having a team full of yes men, but having a team that will ask you the right questions to push you and your brand further. Never surrender to other people’s projections! Always believe in yourself and keep your focus on your goal.

-Kay Eye

Be a Rebel.