There are generally two ways you can get waylaid on the road to success:

a.) you never get started

b.) you get started, but on the way, because of failure or disappointment or discouragement, you stop.

A large part of why you may get discouraged or never get started are feedback from detractors or critics.   Of course, people advising caution may be good, and we should listen ( with discrimination).  There are people who advise you not to do something stupid, and there are people who advise you never to do anything worthwhile at all.

Some people who understand what they are talking about, and understand your circumstance should be listened to, but some people who have comments on everything, even on something they don’t know anything about, should have their comments treated as a challenge. 

If my experience is like yours, people who are know it alls generally put ideas and people down more often than they lift them up, so beware! 

I would like to recount a story that I think is the proper way  to treat this.

A man who was told that "he would never made it as a singer", told the person, " Thank you!"

The critic did not quite understand, and asked, " Why are you thanking me?"

"Because you have just added something colorful that I will put in my biography when I become a famous singer.  You know that Decca Records told Beatles they will never made it?  You know people told Einstein and Edison, two of the world’s most creative minds that they are stupid?  Isn’t it now the stuff of stories?  If you permit, I would like to add you as one of my hurdles and challenges who said I would never made it!"

Treat negative feedback and put downs as a challenge!

 Related Posts:

- Inspire not Motivate! 

- Understanding Failure

- Changing Processes and Habits

- Rest Stops