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To succeed, you need to surround yourself with positive people and stop interacting with those who constantly whine, focus on the negative and criticize your ideas, says entrepreneur Daniel Milstein.
I want you now to remember everyone with whom you communicate every day. Are there Critic, Victim and Mister Negative among them? I bet you know them. They are everywhere: at meetings and in a fun company at the cooler. The main thing is that one of them does not settle in your mirror.
In Rule Number 1: Don’t Be Number Two, I talk about why it’s important to avoid negative people. Pessimists are spreading their negative contagion worse than the new flu virus, and we must stop this epidemic.
By listening to these whiners, you run the risk of thinking like them. Their influence extends not only to the views of individuals, but also to the culture, reputation and profitability of the company.
Let’s figure out what Mister Negative, Critic and Victim are in order to bypass them.
Mr. Negative
This character has a real talent for finding a problem in every solution. He likes to dampen enthusiasm when a new idea comes up. His mantra is the killer phrase: «It’s supposed to be done like this.» He’s stuck in stereotypes like a truck on a country road after rain. As soon as the window of opportunity opens, he lowers the curtain.
It sucks the life force out of every worthwhile idea, slowing down progress towards the goal. It is unpleasant to work with such people in the same team and even just communicate. You will come to a positive life only if you get rid of such people in your environment.
Critic
They have a scathing remark in store for everyone. Critics are especially skillful in speculating with confidential and negative information. They use gossip to befriend you and keep you in check. Try not to fall for this bait — sooner or later you will also become their target.
Critics are afraid of talented, purposeful people, and the brighter the personality, the louder the criticism sounds — with its help they try to divert attention from their own worthlessness. Remember: someone who has not achieved anything cannot tell you what to do and how to do it.
Victim
They are not able to take responsibility and constantly repeat that life has treated them unfairly: “The test questions were formulated incomprehensibly”, “I had no chance of promotion because the boss’s pet applied for the position.”
Victims are chronically unlucky and circumstances are always against them. They don’t know that luck and hard work go hand in hand. They do not consider it necessary to strain and easily find excuses for their inaction.
We need to clear our work and personal space of all these naysayers and surround ourselves with positive people. Their habits and outlook are also contagious, but it is a beneficial virus. When creating a team or forming a social circle, give preference to energetic people who believe in themselves and their work, thereby inspiring others.
In their vocabulary there are no words “I can’t” and “nothing will work out”, and any difficulty for them is a challenge that they gladly accept. Connect with people whose dreams are bigger than yours. Such people positively influence everything they touch, whether it is work processes, projects, colleagues or subordinates. They believe that nothing is impossible and will definitely believe in you.
If you think serving people is beneath you, then leadership is not for you.
Success is not a skill. This is an attitude. We cannot always change people and circumstances, but we can change the perception of what is happening. Positive thinking helps you take bold action.
Inspire and motivate those around you as soon as possible. Don’t try to be the best on the team. Strive to be the best for the team. People who try to be visible and flaunt their merits will never become real leaders. Those who contribute to the team and the company are promoted. If you feel that serving others is beneath you, then leadership is not for you.
I never tire of repeating that you cannot own success. But you can rent it and pay a fee every day. Create the right team — it will be easier to pay together, and this will be your common success.
About the Author: Daniel Milstein is an entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of Gold Star and author of Rule Number 1: Don’t Be No. XNUMX.