Anyone who brags about having no enemies is most likely a person who is having very little impact on the world.

No one likes to be attacked, smeared or disparaged yet the greatest measure of the kind of impact we’re having can be found in the opposition we face.

Elbert Hubbard said it best:

“If you would escape moral and physical assassination, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing — court obscurity, for only in oblivion does safety lie.”

This is not an invitation to controversy or self-serving theatrics, it’s a recognition of the fact that a meaningful life cannot be free from censure or danger. 

How many people can we name who became popular and well-liked by doing the right thing when it was unfashionable?

Historical heroes like Sophie Scholl or Rosa Parks are good examples of people who made a principled stand on matters of conscience, yet were only celebrated for their integrity long after the fact. 

At the time these individuals stood against public opinion, they were condemned and denounced by their enemies.

Having impact requires each of us to step up and use our own minds, our own means and our own resourcefulness to bless the world. This is not without risk or pain.

You’ll know you’re having real impact as soon as you begin encountering criticism and opposition. 

The thought of having enemies may seem uncomfortable at first.

Take it as a compliment. The more hysterical your opposition is, the more impact you’re likely having.