Take a moment and think about the contradiction Marcus highlights in this quote—we love ourselves more than anyone else, yet we often value other's opinions of ourselves more than our own. Pretty paradoxical, right?

In your daily life, each time you question yourself or feel unsure, do you often look around for validation? That’s part of this strange dichotomy we’re digging into.

Instead of getting hung up on other people's judgments, imagine what it would be like if you prioritized your own self-perceptions? Would you find yourself more confident, kinder, and authentic?

The first step to achieve this is to catch yourself the moment you sense yourself sliding into others' evaluations, and then redirect your respect to your own viewpoint. Through overcoming this self-love/self-opinion paradox, the potential to lead a more fulfilled and self-assured life is astounding.

So ask yourself, whose opinion matters most to you?