It’s cool to be cool. Everyone loves to feel they are part of something bigger than themselves, part of something amazing, part of a great project, a fantastic mission, an exciting team, a member of the “cool” crowd. We feel good when we sense a shared identity with others, especially one that makes us feel appreciated, wanted, engaged, or valued.

But what happens when others in our lives think our “cool” is not so hot? What does it mean when the “cool” crowd turns out to be the “wrong crowd,” at least in everyone else’s eyes?

How do you weather that kind of critique, worry, doubt, and sometimes rejection of your judgment or yourself by your family, friends, colleagues, or social circle?

Some of you undoubtedly have had that experience. Maybe you’ve experienced it. Maybe you’ve watched …