People Pleasing

“I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

― Bill Cosby

The implication in the above quote - supported by the popular psychobabble - is that one should not strive to be a people pleaser.  Clearly, because of differing personalities and expectations, it is impossible to please everybody.  The introvert will be displeased by the extrovert's efforts; the chubby may be displeased by the efforts of the skinny to show him or her "the way"; Democrats will be displeased by Republicans' ideologies, and so on.  Trying to please all those diverging sensibilities can only result in a scattering of one's efforts and talents.  Therefore, pleasing oneself is the only way to be. 

Rather than being a self-centered attitude, pleasing oneself means being authentic.  It is not an invitation to be selfish or rude.  Rather, it is a recognition of one's own true self.  And it is only through one's true self that one can communicate with the world in a true, authentic, sincere manner.