Would you rather be well-known or well-liked?

Would you rather be well-known or well-liked? Gosh! That is such a loaded question and difficult to answer too. There are pros and cons to both.

Who doesn’t want to be well-known? It would be easier to get ahead in the world due to your name. Jobs, collaborations, and plenty of other opportunities are more accessible to you. However, with others knowing who you are, they tend to watch and scrutinize you more. There isn’t a lot of privacy given to you either. You may find yourself getting lots of negative attention and that can really take a toll on someone’s mental health.

On the other side of the spectrum, you could have everyone like you. It is always nice to know that you are liked. I believe this also comes at a cost. Generally, people who are liked by everyone are one of two things: manipulative or a people pleaser. When a person is manipulative, they have a hidden agenda and are being nice for selfish reasons. A people please is always trying to make others happy while sacrificing their own happiness. Both types of people are not being true to those around them or themselves. These traits can be toxic to your soul.

If I really had to choose, I don’t know if I could. I enjoy my privacy, sanity, happiness, individuality, and my voice. Essentially, I enjoy just being me. Choosing one of those extremes would force me to give up parts of myself. Then, is it really me? This brings me to two other points: