Naysayers can be very frustrating and annoying to deal with. They can distract or discourage you from pursuing your goals. At every step, you will encounter the naysayers. To be successful in life one must master the ability to overcome them.
Here are 5 ways to overcome the naysayers:
1. Ignore them. The bigger your dreams or goals the more the naysayers will flood in. Don’t let their words sink in and take root. Avoid over thinking the criticism. Don’t give them residency status in your head, redirect them to your short term memory. People will always have something negative to say. Stay focused. “You wouldn’t invite a thief into your house, Why would you let negative people invade your mind?” ~Unknown
2. Respond don’t react. If you must engage in discussion, respond politely & respectfully. Let your emotions subside. Never respond in the heat of the moment. If you respond wisely sometimes you can win them over. However, don’t waste time trying to convince them, you can’t always be justifying yourself to everyone. There is a difference between constructive criticism and personal attacks. Additionally, not all criticism is a bad thing. Be open to listen and learn.
“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” ~Winston Churchill
3. Safeguard your Dreams. Your dreams are precious. Be very selective about who you share your goals and dreams with especially when it’s in the infancy stage. You don’t have to let everyone know what you are planning on doing. This is life and not everyone will like you. Don’t take it personally, it is not a measure of your self–worth.
“They say I dream too big. I say they think too small.” ~Unknown
4. Take control of your environment. If certain individuals are constantly bringing you down it’s time to eliminate them. If it’s someone you cannot avoid then reduce contact with them or just tune out when they are speaking. Have a close network of people who you can really trust. I always emphasize this because your deepest wounds will not come from outsiders but those in your inner circle.
“People inspire you or they drain you. Pick them wisely.” ~Hans F. Hansen
5. Personal development. Make yourself stronger. Develop thicker skin. Remember it’s not about them. It’s about you. They are just an extra in your movie whilst you have the leading role. Look at areas where you can improve and focus your energies on the things you can change. Seek continuous self-improvement. Negativity offers us a chance to evolve and learn from our experiences. Personal development (spiritual, emotional, mental, social and physical) is crucial. People always tell me I am mentally strong but this just didn’t happen in a day. It’s a process I keep working on daily.
“Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.” ~Christian D. Larson
Negativity is always all around but it’s important not to let it paralyze us. Everything in life must be used as a growing experience. If we only receive positive feedback we would become complacent and wouldn’t grow.