As a child, I always hated being told what to do. Even if it was for my own good, as my parents would remind me.

It’s something visceral with me, even today. I don’t like the word should. As in you should do this or you should(n’t) do that.

I want to do what I want to do and I don’t want anyone telling me I shouldn’t.

We hear the words should and shouldn’t a lot, don’t we? Spoken by skunks with evil intent, but also by well-meaning people who care about us.

They might tell us what to do because they know more than we do about the subject. Or think they do. Or because they’ve done it themselves and want to justify (to themselves) having done it.

I’m not a bandwagon kinda guy. How about you?

What if they’re right? They might be. We might be on the wrong side of the issue. We might be doing ourselves a big disservice by refusing to listen.

I don’t care. I want to do what I want to do.

When I was a pup, my dad told me I should go to law school. I didn’t want to go, not because I had any material objections, but because he told me I should. I had other ideas, other plans, and didn’t want to be told what to do.

Of course I went, but it was my decision, made after exploring my other options and finding them wanting.

Okay, I’m a rogue. Stubborn as hell. Maybe a bit crazy. And I don’t understand why so many people buy what others are selling.

But I’m not going to tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t do.

Okay, that’s not true. I also have a big mouth and often tell people what they clearly don’t know or correct them when they’re clearly wrong.

Especially when someone says I shouldn’t.