Hey friend, it’s Cory.

When it comes to starting or running a business…

One of the greatest challenges we often face is needing to block out the opinions of others.

Which is easier said than done…

Especially because it can sometimes be the people we love most who might not understand the path we’re on…

But if we know our path is just, we must try our best to stay focused on where we’re heading.

So with that being said, I wanted to tell you a quick story today.

I’ve never told this to too many people…

But it’s a perfect example of how the opinions of others can make us question everything we’re doing.

This all happened around 4 years ago, when my Digital Tentmaking business first started getting some results.

Now, my business has never been about being able to buy a big house, fancy cars, and so on.

I’ve always had one simple goal the entire time:

Give myself the freedom to go out and serve!

Now you might already know this, but around the time I was starting my business my wife was diagnosed with MS.

So one of the first things I did when I had the means, was buy her a new car.

Nothing too crazy – it was a Nissan Murano.

You see, the car she was driving up until then was almost 20 years old…

And between the beat up seats, lack of air conditioning, and what I can only imagine was a broken suspension (yeah, not the smoothest of rides…)

I got her the Nissan not out of luxury or feeling like we “deserved” anything better…

It was simply to provide her with something that wouldn’t make her so horribly uncomfortable every time she had to drive somewhere.

I didn’t want her to suffer more than she already was at the time…

So I used my newly found income to help her.

That sounds like a normal thing to do given the situation… right?

Well, here’s the thing.

People don’t have much money where my wife and I are from in Texas.

So even something like a Nissan Murano (which is far from the most extravagant car on the market) stuck out like a sore thumb.

A lot of people started giving us weird looks…

And we got asked all the time “what was wrong with the old car” and “how on earth did we afford it” for the new one.

Even though my wife was able to drive comfortably for the first time in years…

All this made her feel so self-conscious about the car that she felt almost too embarrassed to drive it.

But what was the alternative?

Return the Murano and buy back my wife’s old car? 

Make her suffer every time she had to make a quick 5 minute drive?

Of course not.

I stood by my decision to buy my wife that car, and I still stand by it now.

But I’m not going to lie… it was tough.

I mean, was this going to be my life now that I ran a business?

To have my friends and people I love judge my every decision?

To be completely honest with you, this made me think about giving up on more than one or two occasions.

But what got me through is knowing that there’s only ONE person I need to seek approval from.

And as long as my actions are pleasing to Him, then I cannot let others throw me off my path.

My motivations for going into business have always remained the same…

But at the same time, I know I would be fine if it were to be taken away from me tomorrow.

It doesn’t define me, and it could never take the place of my relationship with God, my ministry work, or my family.

And I believe that if you can honestly say the same about your business…

Then all we can do is block out those opinions of others that are only meant to make us question our decisions.

I hope you have a blessed day.

Your brother in Christ,

Cory

P.S. Interested in joining our community of Digital Tentmakers?

It’s the best way I know of to buy back your time, be free to go serve, and provide more for our families!

Just click the link below to discover more: