Choosing Your Energy and Playing a Bigger Game

I have a friend named Luke who once told me something that completely changed how I think about the energy I bring into my life and business.

He said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

At first, I brushed it off. It sounded like one of those things that's easy to say but hard to do.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized something.

Most people spend too much energy holding grudges, staying small, and trying to "win" against people who are never even playing the same game.

They let resentment dictate their next move. 

They shrink themselves to avoid upsetting someone else. 

They hold back their potential just to avoid the judgment of people who are already rooting against them.

If you are nodding along because you have been there too, then this message is for you.

Today, I want to talk about choosing your energy, leveraging it the right way, and refusing to play small just to please the people who don't want to see you win.

Think about this—every single person you interact with, every situation you walk into, every challenge you face is going to take energy from you.

The question is, who and what are you giving it to?

Are you using your energy to build, create, and grow? Or are you spending it arguing, resenting, and proving people wrong?

Too many people waste their energy on the wrong things.

They dwell on old betrayals, bad business deals, and past mistakes. 

They keep score, waiting for the day they can "win" over the person who doubted them. 

They hold grudges against people who have already moved on and forgotten about them.

That kind of energy is draining, exhausting, and ultimately useless.

Because here is the truth—you do not need to prove yourself to anyone.

If you are constantly looking over your shoulder at the people who wronged you, you're robbing yourself of the focus and energy you need to move forward.

There is a lie that too many people believe:

If you stay small, if you do not rock the boat, if you avoid outgrowing the people around you, then you will keep the peace.

You won't upset anyone. You won't lose relationships. You won't make people uncomfortable.

But here's what really happens—you shrink yourself so much that you start resenting the very people you were trying to please.

You let their opinions dictate your decisions. 

You hesitate when you should be going all in. 

You make safe choices instead of bold ones.

And for what?

So the people who don't even want to see you win feel comfortable?

Playing small does not protect you. 

It only keeps you from reaching your full potential.

And guess what? 

The people who truly support you will never ask you to shrink for them.

Let's talk about something that happens more often than we like to admit.

People will try to step on you to lift themselves up.

You will see it in business. 

You will see it in friendships. 

You will see it in competition.

Some people only feel powerful when they are keeping others beneath them.

They will:

• Undermine you to make themselves look smarter

• Doubt you because they do not have the courage to take risks themselves

• Talk about you behind your back because they feel threatened by your growth

And the easiest thing in the world would be to fight back, to hold a grudge, to focus all your energy on proving them wrong.

But what does that really do?

If you let them dictate your next move, you're still letting them control your energy.

Luke was right—show them love when they show you hate.

Not because they deserve it, but because you deserve peace.

You do not need their validation. 

You do not need their approval. 

You do not need to get even.

The best revenge? 

Success that speaks for itself.

If you're feeling stuck, if you're drained, if you're constantly frustrated by the people who seem to be working against you, then I have a challenge for you.

Take a step back and ask yourself:

- Who am I giving my energy to? Are you pouring it into people who doubt you, criticize you, or try to hold you back? Or are you investing it into people who push you forward?

- Am I playing small just to keep others comfortable? If you're hesitating to take a big step because of what someone else might think, that's a sign you're shrinking.

- What would happen if I stopped looking for approval and just went all in? Imagine what your life and business could look like if you stopped worrying about the noise and focused entirely on building, growing, and winning.

At the end of the day, no one is coming to save you.

No one is going to hand you permission to go all in.

No one is going to say, "It is your time now."

That's your job.

You don't have time to hold onto resentment. 

You don't have time to prove yourself to people who have already counted you out. 

You don't have time to play small so someone else can feel comfortable.

What you do have is a limited amount of energy, time, and focus.

So use it wisely.

Let go of the grudges. 

Stop chasing the approval of people who were never in your corner. 

Start playing bigger.

And if someone tries to step on you to lift themselves up?

Smile, wish them well, and keep building.

They'll still be talking about you five years from now.

You'll be too busy winning to notice.

To your freedom,

mm

P.S. If this resonated with you and you're ready to start playing a bigger game, reply with "ENERGY" and let's talk about how you can redirect your focus toward what really matters.