"Always stand on principle...even if you stand alone."
Put another way, Adams suggested that we stand up for what we believe in without ever giving in to pressure to change.
Doing so isn't always easy, and few knew this better than Adams himself. For example, he was roundly criticized by his own party for trying to avert rather than push for war with France, which carried out a series of attacks on U.S. shipping between 1798 and 1800.
Had he pursued the latter course, his Federalist party might have come out victorious in the Election of 1800 against Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans, who sided with France. But Adams refused to let politics get in the way of his bedrock principles.
His are words that we should all live by.
While none of us want to ruffle people's feathers by not doing what they want or not thinking as they do, we can't compromise our values, attitudes, and beliefs just to please others. If they can't bear the thought of associating with someone whose opinions and preferences diverge from their own, then maybe it's time to go our separate ways.
And let's not forget one important thing: Our views change as we age. We should never be expected to hold the same perspectives and interests at 20 as we do at 40. Indeed, everything from shifting priorities to different experiences in our jobs and in our relationships can alter how we see the world.
Do what you feel is right, even if it makes you unpopular among your peers. Don't cave in to pressure to do things you don't wish to do, whether it's date someone a friend is trying to fix you up with, change religions, or get drunk during a night out on the town. In the end, they will respect you more for sticking to your guns, even if they never admit to it.
It shows, above anything else, that you have a strong character. You should never feel forced to live up to anyone's expectations but your own. It's better to stand alone than with people who refuse to accept you for who you are!
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