Mega-teen Justin Bieber turns 18 on March 1. The main squeeze of 19-year-old Selena Gomez is recognizing that growing into an adult is not always easy. "When I was coming up, trying to get to where I am now, people were so happy for me. They were rooting for me. Now that I'm on top, everyone wants to bring me down. Everyone's trying to tug at me and take my spot," the "Never Say Never" star rants. "A lot of people say they hate Justin Bieber who haven't even listened to my music. They just hate the idea of me."
Celebrities enjoy the fruits of their labors, but they must also contend with people who dislike them, whether because of what they do, or how much they make, or how physically beautiful they are. The spotlight doesn't come easy, nor is it easy to keep.
"I want to be successful and be great at what I do. But eventually, I want to become the best at what I do," Bieber says. "I want to be better than anybody who's ever done it."
It's a lofty goal, but it's one the "Baby" singer is capable of. Just look at how much he's succeeded in doing so far in his young life. Meanwhile, the haters will continue to try and chip away at his soul. The question is, will he survive them? If Justin keeps doing what he's doing, the answer is likely - yes. There are at least three ways the teen, who's latest album is "Under the Mistletoe," manages his haters in ways that we all can learn.
Don't brag about your success
In 2011, Justin Bieber was worth at least $85 million, according to Forbes. He wasn't born with it. In 2008, he was discovered on YouTube by Scooter Braun, and in less than four years, he made it big. With lots of success and lots of cash comes lots of jealousy. But you don't have to make big bucks to deal with jealous people. Any type of success can attract jealousy.
However, the Canadian is humble and has never made a big deal about his success and wealth. Such an attitude helps to diffuse jealousy, especially from fellow celebrities.
Help others
Many stars make an effort to help others. When you take the focus off yourself, it shows that you're not narcissistic. For example, Bieber helped some developing countries get clean drinking water. "So this year, I really want my birthday to be all about helping others. Instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking friends, family and fans to consider donating $17 for my 17th birthday to help make a change," said the pop singer.
Take the high road
Ignoring jealous people is also a strategy that works, especially when you don't know who they are. Bieber has lots of fans, but he, as he has implied, has lots of enemies, too. He could spend a lot of his time attacking his haters. But why? The guy who appears on the cover of V magazine chooses to focus on his fans rather than his foes. For example, despite the fact that he has over 16 million Twitter followers, the Biebs will often retweet his fan's tweets.
More from this contributor:
Justin Bieber was on CSI, but Should He Stick to Singing?
American Music Awards 2010 Performers Included Big Winner Justin Bieber
Are Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez Pics Worth a Thousand Words?
