In essence, they're saying that they know you better than you know yourself!
This is, of course, utterly preposterous.
No one but you knows all your fears, misgivings, hopes, and dreams.
No one other than you has been at your side 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every single day of your life.
While your parents, siblings, or friends are likely to have taught you a few valuable lessons as you've gotten older, there are others you've learned through personal experience.
That being said, how can a person claim to have a better handle on you than, well, you?
Be wary of these people, I tell you, for they aim to foist their own beliefs and opinions on you as if they were the law.
Whatever you do, do not cave.
People do this for one simple reason: They want you to think and act as they do because it makes them feel better about themselves. They seek validation for their own choices, and what better way to do that than to coax others into making the same ones?
Don't let their opinions override your instincts. If your gut tells you to do something that runs contrary to what others are suggesting, just go with it. Don't worry about people disapproving; you're the one who will have to deal with the consequences of your actions anyway, whether good or bad.
That's not to say that you shouldn't listen to or consider their well-meaning advice. But never feel pressured into doing something someone else's way just to appease them. It's your life, not theirs.
If things worked out for them by taking a certain course of action, more power to them. It doesn't mean that's the path that works for you. We're all different, from our personalities to our working styles to our ways of dealing with problems.
One of the beauties of life (in the states, at least) is our freedom to exercise free will, whether it concerns choosing a career, picking a partner, buying a car, and so on. No one should ever impinge on that right. Once you are an adult, no one has the right to make those decisions for you.
When in doubt, go with your gut -- it never lets you down. Your instincts should supersede the advice of others, who may only have their best interests at heart rather than your own. Never allow others' perceptions and biases color your own if you don't agree with them.
It's your life. Live it on your terms!
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