To Be Is Not A Question

Last year was a rough year. And as all the life coaches say, somehow, that is when you learn the useful lessons of life.
My lesson from last year is something I think should be taught in school: Don't listen to anyone. Make your own choices, make your own decisions.
Why do I say that? Because even the people who have your best interests at heart can lead you down the wrong path. Because people love dishing out advice when you don't ask for it. Because people will never know you the way you can know you. Because some people will love seeing you fail. Because some people want to push you to a dream of success you don't want. Because most people will never know what you really, really want. And even if they do, they would love to put it down the minute they find it doesn't have 'mass appeal'.
Last year, I spoke to people about IIMs, interviews, placements, CAT... the list I wanted an opinion on was endless. And while everyone gave me some viewpoint or the other, either they pulled me down by telling me I couldn't do something I wanted to do, or wanted to help so much that they missed what I was trying to ask them.
Mass opinion need not be the correct opinion. You should just do what you want, the way you want to do it, and let the rest of the world go dang. People scare you into joining the bandwagon. And once you are on top of it and cheering away with the rest of the mob, you ain't even all that happy. And then people want to tell you you are really not capable of staying on the bandwagon. Don't listen. Don't get on that loony wagon. Go for the moon if you want to. Chances are, you will get there long before the opiniated folks even figure where it actually is.