In an interview, the infamous and brilliant Werner Herzog was asked, "Many people have strong opinions about you, many of them wrong. How do you cope with that?" His response beautiful!
He simply said, "Let them be wrong."
That was it! Four words, delivered with the unflinching clarity of a man who’s spent a lifetime chasing truth through the wildest corners of human experience.
What I love about this is that in those four words lies an incredible lesson in authenticity. Because living an authentic life isn’t about controlling how others see you—it’s about standing firm in who you are, even when the world gets it wrong.
It is easy for people’s perception of us to weigh heavily on our minds. It's exhausting to navigate the relentless pressure to polish our image, win approval, or dodge criticism. The urge to correct every misconception, to justify ourselves, or to bend into someone else’s version of you can be overwhelming.
That is why I find Werner Herzog’s response to be so unique and disarming. He’s saying: You don’t need to fight every battle over your identity. You don’t need to convince everyone. Your life and who you are don’t have to be up for debate. Letting others be wrong frees you from the exhausting game of people-pleasing and lets you show up as who you really are.
For those unfamiliar, Werner Herzog is a legendary German filmmaker, director, and writer known for masterpieces like Aguirre, the Wrath of God and Grizzly Man, as well as his unrelenting pursuit of stories that reveal humanity's chaotic, beautiful depths. His life and work testify to living authentically, unafraid of judgment and unshaken by misunderstanding.
Thank you for reading. Take care of yourself and others.
Much love,
Benjamin
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