Stop Wagging Your Tail – Be the Wolf You Are

The more vulnerable we become in life, the more we wag our tails when someone notices us. It’s a fundamental human reflex, much like when a puppy crawls toward a new acquaintance, shaking with enthusiasm and hope for validation. Someone has seen us! We exist! And in this state of visibility, we say yes, nod eagerly, and allow ourselves to be shaped by how others perceive us.

The Problem with Misjudgments

The problem? That image is rarely true.

Being misjudged is an art. It happens with frightening precision, a kind of human algorithm of misunderstanding. Maybe someone sees you as a master salesperson, even though you despise pushing products onto people. Or you hear that you’re a "people person" when, in reality, you prefer the company of books.

When You Say Yes to the Wrong Things

And so, you say yes. Yes to the job you hate. Yes to the project you should never have taken on. Yes to the role you are not suited for.

What happens next?

Failure becomes inevitable. Not because you are bad, but because you accepted a pre-made image of yourself that someone else painted. An image based on their perspective, their interpretation, their needs. You become an actor in someone else’s play, judged by a script you never read.

Stop Wagging – Unleash the Wolf

That’s when you should stop wagging your tail.

That’s when you should find the wolf within you.

A wolf commands respect. It is not dependent on anyone’s validation; it knows who it is. It does not shake with joy when someone pats it on the head. It observes. It chooses its pack. It knows that being alone is better than being part of the wrong company.

Ask the Question: "How Did You Come to That Conclusion?"

The next time someone offers their well-meaning (or not so well-meaning) analysis of who you are, ask:

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

Watch what happens.

See how their confidence wavers when they realize they never really thought about it. That their image of you was based on a quick sketch rather than a careful study.

Stand Your Ground – You Decide

And then you say stop.

You choose who you are. You are not a puppy chasing after everyone who notices you. You are a wolf walking its own path.

And that is exactly how it should be.

We Live in Other People’s Expectations

We live in a world where people are constantly judged, categorized, and placed into boxes by others. Employers, colleagues, friends, even strangers feel entitled to tell you who you are and what you should do. "You’re so good at talking to people, you should be in sales." "You’re always so calm, you should be a therapist." But why? Who decided that their perception of you is correct?

What Happens If We Break the Pattern?

It’s a fascinating paradox that we learn to listen more to other people’s opinions about ourselves than to our own insights. We live our lives as reflections of others’ expectations.

But what would happen if we broke that pattern?

What if, instead of accepting every assigned trait, we took time to reflect on who we truly are? What if we said no, thank you, when someone tried to label us as something we don’t recognize?

Start a Revolution – Be Yourself

It would be a revolution.

So, the next time someone says, "You are like this," ask them how they came to that conclusion. And if you don’t agree? Say no. Stand your ground. Don’t be a puppy. Be a wolf.