“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
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So much of what you will accomplish in life is influenced by the people you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with people who lift you up and encourage you to put yourself out there, to try, to make the attempt… if you surround yourself with those type of people then chances are you will do just that.
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On the flip side if you surround yourself with people who tell you that you can’t, or that it’s impossible, or that you will likely fail, or what you do makes them cringe…. well then, chances are you will avoid ever making the attempt…. and that would be sad.
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Be careful not to confuse honest and constructive feedback that could help guide you along the ‘way’, versus people who are belittling your ambitions. Constructive feedback can help you get where you want to go, and always take the feedback graciously and with appreciation, even if you disagree with it. You never want to discourage advice that could prove to be helpful, so be careful not to push those people away.
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However, life is challenging enough without having a group of people, or person, try to belittle your ambitions. So choose your friends wisely. Choose mentors who tell you that you ‘can’. Choose to associate with martial artists who focus on the positive, and avoid the negative. Look for those really great people that make you feel that you too can become great!
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The act of demeaning people is a bad personality trait, and it’s impossible to inspire others if you are not inspired yourself. It goes without saying inspired teaching requires consistent, positive attitudes and actions.
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Don’t surround yourself with antagonists. Be compassionate, see the potential and believe in others, and accept others without wanting to fix them. The moment you begin to believe in your own greatness, that will kill your ability to be truly creative. Ego – self-absorption, ruins the very thing it celebrates.
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The poisonous need to control everything and is usually revealed with success. Ego starts saying: it all must be done my way – even little things, even inconsequential things. The solution is straightforward. A smart man or woman must regularly remind themselves of the limits of their power and reach. Humility then, is the antidote to pride. 
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“There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who walk into a room and say, “There you are”, and those who say, “Here I am!” – Abigail Van Buren