Want to know the biggest roadblock to being a successful entrepreneur? It is the naysayers. And unfortunately, sometimes (perhaps, often) you are your own naysayer. Here are 31 strategies used by TPEs who have faced the naysayers and defeated them. Now it is your turn to defeat the naysayers and get down to building a successful business, damn it!
1. Get In The Media!
How To Deal With Naysayers: Nothing shuts up non-believers faster than getting your product in the media spotlight. Write a phenomenal, targeted press release and work on your PR efforts, much more than investing in advertising. it'll be time and money well spent.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Being an Entrepreneur by definition already makes you DIFFERENT. Since starting my business,I have encountered more naysayers than yaysayers! Quite simply I STAY AWAY from them. Your passion and belief far out weighs their NEIGHS!!!
How To Deal With Naysayers: I've actually converted nay-sayers to yea-sayers by making them part of my effort. Sometimes I ask their permission--"Will you allow me to prove you wrong?" Other times, I make a bet with them--"If I'm right, if this thing actually works, will you agree to buy me dinner at the best restaurant in town?"
And the best move is by making them help you: I offer a partnership: "Join me on this and I'll make sure you get half the credit when it succeeds." This is not for the faint of heart, and you better pick the right nay-sayer. But it can really pay off.
How To Deal With Naysayers: In the business world you are the only one who can hold yourself back from doing what you really want. Don’t let others become an excuse for your own fears.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Make the naysayers words into a game. So if she says, "no one succeeds like that", you immediately say: "I am sure I WILL succeed with this." They will probably not even notice you are counter-acting her negative words with the same phrase in the positive. This is a great way of staying positively focused and won't hurt anyone's feelings.
How To Deal With Naysayers: It’s vital to confront the naysayer and hear them out. After all, many naysayers have valid points-of-view that should be considered. But once the naysayer’s point-of-view has been considered, it’s important to bring the issue to closure by saying something like this: “We both know we have a difference of opinion on this matter. And I’ve made the decision to move ahead with [insert the initiative here] despite our difference of opinion. We both are aware that you have spoken out against [the initiative], but I really need to know if you’re on board with it now because this is very important to me and to [the initiative]. Are you?” Then be quiet and hear what the naysayer has to say.
This is a very direct way to (1) find out if the naysayer is now on your side so you can continue to work together, and (2) inform the naysayer that you expect support of the initiative.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Naysayers are essentially toxic people and one should not spend any time with them. If friends and relatives happen to be toxic, it might be harder to leave them but at least try to spend less time with them and make more time with others who are highly motivated. Highly motivated people will be more willing to inspire and push you to achieve success. So let the naysayers go.
How To Deal With Naysayers: To overcome naysayers you need a YES attitude:
Y = a big why – a big reason to achieve your goal - a reason that is bigger and stronger than the naysayers negativity. The WHY keeps you motivated despite all the naysayers around. When I had a serious tumor, my big Y was my daughter. I did not want her to grow up like me, without a father. This kept me positive and motivated despite the naysayers.
E= Expect Emotional Reactions – if you expect everyone to support you, this will cause you stress. You need to expect people will throw up roadblocks. That is human nature. Then when they do, it won’t be so upsetting and you can just deal with it.
S= Surround yourself with other fun loving YES people. Change and naysayers are draining – they will bring you down and eventually make you negative. So you need to find like minded people to support you through the challenges of change.
How To Deal With Naysayers: When naysayers try to bring me down, I just quote one of my favorite 311 tunes, "All Mixed Up"...it goes: "You've got to trust your instinct, and let go of regret. You've got to bet on yourself now star,
because that's your best bet..."
I don't try to disprove the naysayers, I cut them out of my life altogether.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Don't let the naysayers get to you. Unless they are your users or potential customers, why worry too much. I find giving the naysayers a quick demo of what you are already capable of works wonders. Even my own family kept questioning, and questioning my business idea until I showed them it in action.
How To Deal With Naysayers: I treat naysayers like I treat the weather forecast when I am planning to have an outdoor event and the forecast is that it's going to rain. . . I don't believe what they say until it happens. Many people will tell me to cancel my event, because it's going to rain. I don't. I wait until the rain comes, and most times it doesn't, and I go forward with my event. Then the people tell me, "Hey, you were right. I'm glad you didn't listen to me."
Let them naysay all they want. If you don't listen to them, their words mean nothing.
How To Deal With Naysayers: When my 'inner tape' or my mind 'clutter' gets too much, I take deep breaths, meditate and read my daily affirmations. I do this everyday for 20 mins. so I can stay focused and on-task.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Naysayers shut up when you have massive success. The only way to get massive success is by taking massive action on a consistent basis.
I had plenty of naysayers confront me before I wrote my first book...but not after I wrote my 10th...haha!
Take massive action and take pleasure out of your own success. You CAN do it!
How To Deal With Naysayers: Naysayers are always going to be around. I just use them as fuel to my creativity. I like naysayers because in order to be negative they have to talk! I look at them as free word of mouth advertising. Key is to make sure what they are talking about is false!
How To Deal With Naysayers: The naysayer's agenda often includes them working for people like you. They don't want to see you as anything but an equal, even though you are not. They do not understand why anyone would want to excel at anything and are content with mediocrity. They are not you.
You need to stay your course and need to focus on YOUR plan. Let the naysayers know that "It will be OK". You need to lead with conviction and you need to do the things that you want to do. And most importantly, you need to be you.
How To Deal With Naysayers: That's right, I said IDIOT. And if you check out dictionary.com, you'll find a few synonyms to accurately describe those who always see the glass completely empty.
The naysayer always knows what's wrong and what won't work. Yet they never seem to have a solution. Don't listen to them. Instead, look to someone who has succeeded and ask for guidance.
Get rid of 'em, flush 'em, and move toward success.
How To Deal With Naysayers: It depends on the source. If it's someone credible who you respect, there may be a golden nugget to latch onto. Constructive criticism can challenge you to propel your business forward. However, if this naysayer does not speak from experience, disregard. Bottom line: if there's a will, there's a way.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Don't focus on proving the naysayer wrong. Instead, your strategy should be to focus on taking all of your internal power and getting it into laser like alignment with your goals. Ask yourself, "What's my goal? What do I want? What will it look like, sound like, feel like when I reach it?" Then ask "What do I need to do, learn or change to reach that goal?" And then chunk that information into smaller, manageable steps and stay focused on that.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Instead of letting naysayers take me off track I allow their words to fuel me to reach my goals that much more. If someone says "No" or "That's Not Possible" let it be the ammunition to get it done that much more. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but you have the right to reach higher levels regardless of what anyone eles has to say.
How To Deal With Naysayers: "You'll hate sitting in your little home office all by yourself. How pathetic!" Someone told me this when I decided to start my own consulting business. It's BS! I love being in charge of my own time (to a certain extent - clients always come first). I love being able to step from my bedroom to my office in about 10 feet. I love the look some people get in their eyes when they ask what I do - I can tell that they wish they were their own boss, too.
Before I took the leap, I had doubts, I could hear the warnings of the naysayer echoing in my head. But guess what, Naysayer, you were wrong.
How To Deal With Naysayers: The best way to fight off naysayers is to become a positive person that naysayers avoid, via using affirmations! Affirmations are repetition of positive statements in the present tense as if they are already a fact. A simple example is to affirm, "I am a top achiever!"
Many people are reluctant to engage in using affirmations, perhaps in part because they have seen Stuart Smalley doing "Daily Affirmations" on Saturday Night Live. Yet Brian Tracy, a world leader in personal development training, says that he personally uses affirmations on a daily basis. So who are you gonna believe on this matter -- Stuart Smalley or Brian Tracy?
How To Deal With Naysayers: I stopped talking to the naysayers if possible. Or I tell them to keep it to themselves. When someone says I can't do something, my first response is "why not??" It motivates me to prove them wrong. After being stopped for so many years by naysayers, their negatives now fuel my success. I've learned that what others say is only true for me if I buy into their words. It's MY, not THEIR choice and I choose to be successful!
How To Deal With Naysayers: One way to avoid the naysayers is to focus on your goals and what you dream to accomplish. If they are not part of the plan ask them to get in line and understand.
How To Deal With Naysayers: 1st - Look for the truth in what the naysayer is telling you (hint: it is often that which elicits the strongest emotion in you).
2nd - Then ask yourself, “What of that truth is and is not within my control?”
How To Deal With Naysayers: Most naysayers want to be heard so honor their resistance to your idea. When they tell you that your idea won’t fly, ask them to tell you more about their view (“Really? What makes you say that? How do you know this? Has this been your experience? When did that happen? What happened next? What was the result? What do you think I should do?”) Thank them for their input and add that they have given you a lot to think about. Like bullets bouncing off of Superman (or Superwomen’s) chest, their negativity does not have to be bought by you. They may have some useful information that you need to know and plan for so listen. If their words don’t deter you, then move forward. Proving them wrong can only happen when you actually prove them wrong in an observable way.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Work hard to win over naysayers. Why? Because you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.
Do this by: Completing research. Documenting your evidence. Staying positive. Starting a blog. Writing a book. Leveraging social media. Identifying your enemies and friends. Aligning with your friends. Not trusting trusted sources. Finding professional unbiased allies to support you. Balancing negative information that goes against the status quo with information that brings understanding. Stop the whining. Always be telling the truth. Stop trusting the mainstream news media, but do learn how to use it to further your perspective. And always keep being persistent.
How To Deal With Naysayers: Normally the naysayer will tell me how or why something won't work. My response is tell me how it can work. Generally they do not have an alternate working solution. At this point, I tell them if they can't contribute to the solution, at least have the courtesy to not compound the problem.
How To Deal With Naysayers: My personal list of naysayers include my older sister, my mom, aircraft companies that we purchased planes from, the landlord of our office, fellow executive staff members, our competition and just about everyone else in the aviation industry.
By constructing clear, defined goals, staying positive and reaching towards our goals every day, the nay-saying became our fuel to prove them wrong.
It has been over 4 years since I started my company and we have converted just about all of them. Especially since most of our competitors went under as we continue to grow.
How To Deal With Naysayers: As an "out of the box" thinker and solopreneur I've run into naysayers at every corner. My family members are probably the worst...because they worry about my success or more appropriately potential failure. To combat this and stay on the right track I constantly network with like minds, seek out positive, motivational support from mentors and let the negative comments drive my passion for making my business work. I take the naysayer's worry/concern and let it drive me to succeed and help my clients succeed.
How To Deal With Naysayers: I have to say that naysayers as of late have spurred me on. I smile a lot, then I make a list of sales targets and work like a psycho. When finished I post new status including PR or sales onto my facebook page and send a special link to my favorite naysayer.
Thank you for such a wonderful blog. I really enjoyed read-
ing it. Yes, I agree about saying no to all the negative
ones in the world. I have tried previously to get people to
believe in themselves and strive to do for themselves, but
they do not seem to care.
Thank you for caring.
Ethel
http://entrprenette.com Sarah Shaw
Often naysayers say what they need to say to protect you from what they think is a big mistake, in other words,they are usually laying their own fears on you. Obviously they are not TPE’s and often the best response is to thank them for their thoughts, digest what they said, and take in anything that is useful and let the rest roll on through.
I have fought this off for many years and find this to be an easy way to handle it.
Sarah
http://www.dreamcoatdesignmt.com Rebecca Behrent
As a fine artist, I dealt with both naysayers and yeasayers over many years. I had the most unbelievable things said to me about my work, both positive and negative. If I had concentrated on those who had some pretty ugly things to say, I never would have continued and sold the amount of work that I have. I continue doing fine art, but also faux and decorative finishes, murals, stencils and more, through my company Dreamcoat Design. I have always loved art and design. I am about to do my first trade show, and if someone happens along who is a naysayer, I will reply with “How can I help you?” If they keep on with the negative comments, I will be like a broken record and repeat, “How can I help you?” If they won’t answer me, it is obvious they are simply out to drag me, or my products and services, both down. At that point, I will say, “I don’t think I can help you”, and turn to help someone else who truly is interested in what I have to offer. I have found that most Naysayers just aren’t worth the time – not even for any valid input they may have, especially at a show where you’re trying to sell. They know it, and that’s why they behave like they do, which is quite rude. If they were really interested in helping you “improve” (funny how those not in the field seem to know what you should do), they would do it privately – not in front of a public you’re trying to sell to!
http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz
@Rebecca – so this triggers a question for me. How do you keep your “chin-up” with these type of naysayers. I mean, it is face to face… and even with an “how can I help you” you are getting rejected. What is your trick for shrugging them off?
http://www.clintcora.com/blog Clint Cora
Great to be part of such an excellent collection of tips on dealing with negativity in this world.
http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz
THANK YOU Clint!!!! I appreciate you participating.
http://www.dreamcoatdesignmt.com Rebecca Behrent
Sorry I’m so late getting back with a reply. I’ve had family in the hospital. To answer your question, Mike: It is tough to keep my chin up sometimes. But I can’t let someone at a trade show spoil all my hard work and effort. Some people carry on in front of others because they are trying to ruin your business – but I can only guess at what their motivations might be. I guess it can get to the point of harassment, where you might even have to call security. Believe it or not, that did happen at an art show. The guy was drunk and carrying on and wouldn’t leave – so I quietly went and got security and they escorted him out. Other people you just have to try to deal with, and go on about business. I will have my son and daughter-in-law there helping – I suppose we could plan ahead of time to engage in coversation with each other and ignore the person. I don’t know – I’ve thought about this a lot. You’re really trapped when your in a show – you really have to face people like this – not often, but when you do – it is such a drag! I am reading all the input from others here and will try to be prepared with the best ideas I can.
http://howtotreatboils.com Shanell Linscomb
Thank you for taking the time to write this impressive article. I’ll be sure to share this with my friends. Thank you!
http://www.ToiletPaperEntrepreneur.com Mike Michalowicz
Thank you so much for the excellent list. I’m an independent author/artist/non-conformist (working towards my dream/goal of some day being able to make a living from writing fiction). Like Rebecca above, I too have had some very good and very negative things said about my work, and my character (even though the naysayers don’t know me personally).
It is very true that many naysayers (those who just whine/complain, without providing anything constructive) aren’t worth the time, especially when they are rude/ignorant sorts who just have nothing better to do.
Two funny things I’ve noticed is that most of my naysayers seem to:
(1) be quite broke or stuck in a job they hate, and
(2) gripe about other people’s work, without having any solutions to show how it could be done better.
Both of which do not apply to me (and any motivated entrepreneur, for that matter). Hence the saying: ‘talk is cheap’!
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