How To Ride The Bumps and Walk Away From Critics

According to Einstein (or rather misquoting him!) and probably several other philosophers and gurus  besides, luck is dealt to all of us in equal measures through our life. So what really counts? Obviously it’s how you exploit the good luck, when it comes your way. And we will be discussing that much more. But let’s just focus for a few moments on what happens when luck goes against us. Or when we misjudge a situation and our action goes against us.

How we ride these bumps through life is just as important. Then you are ready for the next opportunity, with sustained energy to apply when good luck returns. Quite often we will tend to exaggerate failure. We will let our own thoughts and feelings make a setback much worse than it is. And if the pressure on our own self-esteem is not enough, then there can often be separate pressures, from the criticism of others.

So how do we ensure that we maintain self-esteem through the bad times? And how do we take the positives from critical feedback, but still ensure that we swiftly distance ourselves from negative critical people. Ensuring we walk away from critics fast, but, to (correctly) quote Kipling “make allowance for their doubting too”?

For the Master Entrepreneur

1.     These are the fun times! Challenges we want – to test us. Our instinct will guide us to those problems where we need to dive deep into the detail until they are resolved.

2.     We do not believe in exit criteria so we will keep the big picture and We Will Prevail.

3.     We will ignore non-issues that we judge are unimportant or will resolve themselves. Criticism in these areas will be politely ignored.

4.     We can turn this problem into an opportunity for learning and a springboard for creating value for others in some new way.

For the Cautious Optimist

1.     We will have to decide very early if this is time to get out. Is this a moment to cut our losses and walk away. Or do we hang on and see this problem through?

2.     We will have set our exit criteria and our stop-loss position. This is where our safety net can be utilized.

3.     We will keep our energy high to face the problem head on where it is major. While we fight, other issues or losses can be absorbed by our safety net.

4.     Those critics who are saying “I told you so” can be ignored as I hold my head high for trying to make this work. If it fails and I move on, my true friends will be there for me and my business acquaintances will respect me more.

Human nature being what it is, there will always be individuals  who criticise you, often enviously. They are normally average people without an appetite for risk or the energy to embrace anything new. Walk away from them. Forget their comments and just emerge as a stronger individual, from the learning. List the ways that you are a better person from the negative experience. When in doubt, repeat that list in your mind, over and over.

Remember that every bump has a downhill stretch on the other side. So ride it with strength, Don’t buckle. Look forward to the extra momentum and depth of character gained when you get over this bump and emerge on the exit with greater vigour and self-belief. For no critic is allowed to ever enter your mind and dilute the trust that you have, in your own abilities and potential.