In a recent post, I talked about how we should all follow our dreams, and ignore all the negative thoughts surrounding us.
So what about those external negative factors — the naysayers? Those friends and family and people in authority who tell you to stop dreaming, to be realistic, to take a more traditional path? Those who tell you that you can’t do something?
You have to learn to block them out. Or, if you have a contrarian attitude about life, learn to let those naysayers fuel your determination — make it your desire to prove the naysayers wrong!
How do you block out naysayers? The same way you block out doubts and negative thoughts in your own head: you squash them. OK, don’t literally squash another person. But when they say something negative, or something that is likely to cause doubts in your head, take that thought (in your head) and squash it. Then replace it with something positive.
If someone is constantly bringing you down and constantly making you feel like you can’t do something, you might consider removing them from your life. This sounds drastic, and it can be, but the truth is that having a life full of negative people will drag you down to their level, and stop you from doing what you want to do.
I’m not saying you should give up all your friends or never see your parents again (if they’re the naysayers), but I am saying that you should pick your friends carefully. Instead, surround yourself with positive, encouraging people. If you have friends like that, you can do anything…take my word for it.
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Just be careful not to surround yourself with yes-men. One must learn to accept positive criticism and benefit therefrom. In fact, one can learn to channel critique into motivation for self-improvement. Never let self-esteem, which is necessary for positive attitude, become confused with realistic assessment.
America’s first billionaires?
Julia C. Collins – A former African-American black slave girl in the USA
Shortly after the US Civil War, she opened up her own small business; traveled the USA with her products; and made herself America’s first billionaires!
In 1865 she wrote, “Life is real! And, now with the New Year dawns for us so beautifully, let us begin life anew, and learn to live in earnest! The old year has been fraught with real and important changes and events – events that have far towered – changing the seemingly invincible destiny of our people, and building us up a nation that shall shine forth as a star on the breast of time, and be gathered into the brilliant galaxy of great nations! There is a vast work for us to do! We have not a moment to lose! We have gone through life dreaming too long! We must become aroused, shake off the dead lethargy of inaction, and go to work in earnest! And there is no time so fitting to being as with the New Year!â€