The important thing is never to let oneself be guided by the opinion of one's contemporaries; to continue steadfastly on one's way without letting oneself be either defeated by failure or diverted by applause.
Source: Letter of Mar 1901.
-- Gustav Mahler, (Jul 7 1860-1911), Austrian composer, conductor; He is noted for his ten symphonies and various songs with orchestra, which drew together many different strands of Romanticism.