Quote: How does one ever completely remove the "Other Validation" problem from their life?
It's totally natural to want to be validated but it shouldn't be totally necessary. Think about it this way. If you do a project at work and you know that you did a really great job, you don't really need your boss to give you a big gold star on your forehead in order to feel good about it. Also, if you really know in your heart that you did a great job, you really won't be that affected if your boss for some reason beyond your ken gives you a bad review. Conversely, if you feel like maybe you did a lousy job, you will be very dependent on your bosses approval to make you feel better about the lousy job that you did. Another important point would be that though you shouldn't need validation from your boss, you still might want to get a pay raise. So, the question is - What are you working for? Self-approval? Other-approval? The money?
Personally, I think a certain amount of desire for other-validation is healthy or unavoidable. It just depends on the context.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver
