When you think about the most inspiring leaders in the world, who comes to mind? 

Some of the people on my list- and I’d guess many other people’s lists- would be: Oprah, Barack Obama, Sheryl Sandberg, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs, Arianna Huffington, Nelson Mandela and The Dalai Lama.

There is no doubt about it: the people listed above are some of the most inspiring people in the world. They have all generated significant change and inspired millions of others along the way through their words and actions. But here is another crazy commonality they share: they’ve all really pissed people off.

Perhaps it was the result of a controversial talk show episode, a bold acquisition deal, an economic policy or a strong stance on apartheid. Whatever the reason, most of the people we consider to be inspiring today have made decisions and shared opinions that greatly unnerved some people in the past.

So what makes them inspiring nonetheless?

People are inspiring when they are true to who they are- and actively live that truth every day. They have a keen sense of how they can contribute in the world, and they act with the intention of making the world a better place. Inspiring leaders are those who stand up in the face of opposition and rally for change. They are the people who question the assumptions, challenge the status quo and believe the “impossible” is possible. 

The most revolutionary leaders of our time aren’t inspiring because they didn’t piss people off. They are inspiring because they did things that were bold enough to elicit emotion in others. They believed in change. They started movements. They got people to think about things in a different way. Some people got angry with them for it. They pressed on anyway. And as a result, they have become some of the most inspirational, prolific and moving figures of our time.

In a way, the bigger your dreams, goals, actions…the more likely you are to piss someone off. Sometimes, it’ll be because people take themselves too seriously or take what you do or say too personally. Other times, it’ll be because people genuinely disagree with your core values and beliefs. Whatever the case, if you are out there looking to do big things in the world, remember this: you are going to piss people off while you do them. So you can either:

1.) Let the fear of pissing people off hold you back.

2.) Get over it.

So long as you take into consideration the general effect you’ll have on people with your words or actions; so long as you are honest with yourself and others; so long as you speak and live your personal truth; and so long as you embrace the world and all of the people in it, you’ve got to relax and trust that everything else will sort itself out. It always does. 

Figure out how to learn from the feedback- good and bad- and then move on. Figure out what is personal and what is not. Learn to take the appropriate things seriously. And learn to take everything else with a grain of salt.

While the goal should never be to piss people off for the sake of it, don’t let the fear of doing so deter you from living your best life or leaving an indelible mark on the world. Because for every one person you piss off, there are 99 others who are thankful for your honesty, passion, creativity, commitment and love. There are 99 others who find you inspiring. 


And it’s the 99 others that count.