One of the best movie lines of all time – Don’t ever let somebody tell you that you can’t do something. – Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happiness. Take 60 seconds to watch the clip – it’s good!
It’s true – there will be haters. Go ahead – admit it. Say it – out loud – there will be haters.
And that’s ok. Because you can learn from haters. I’ve written a post that lists 6 things I’ve learned from critics.
Let me be clear, there is a time to listen. And there are people to whom you should listen. To be honest, there are people I should have listened to more often.
But there are also times when it’s not productive to listen to the advice of well-meaning people.
So here it is – the best professional decision you’ll ever make…
Know when to listen and when not to listen.
It was a good year – between 2001 and 2002 we launched 3 companies, grew from 1 employee (me!) to more than 30, served hundreds of clients and organizations around the world, purchased 13 commercial and residential properties, and I met my wife. Yes – it was a good year.
At the height of this chaotic time, I considered purchasing a commercial property. A decision to move forward with the deal would be the largest investment I had ever made.
Since it was a significant decision with far-reaching impact, I consulted several individuals – one of whom was a real estate expert. After surveying the property with me, he made this statement: I think it would be a mistake to purchase this property.
The property was in rough shape. But I could see something he did not – I envisioned a beautiful facility teeming with young, passionate leaders working together toward a bold, compelling vision.
I had a decision to make – listen or don’t.
This decision wasn’t easy – in part because there had been times early in my career when I had faced the same dilemma – Should I listen to the voice of reason? To the voice of experience? Or should I not listen?
Through these experiences, I’ve learned that there are times when I should listen and times when I should not :
Vision
I have been very intentional about discovering and communicating vision. So I’ve learned to draw a very distinct line at my vision and passion. I no longer heed opinions that will take me off track.
If you’ve got a dream – protect it.
I’ve packaged my vision discovery process in an easy-to-follow eBook, Creating Your Business Vision. Hundreds have benefited from the step-by-step process I outline in the book. You can download it FREE – get it here.
Inexperience
When you’re leading, some won’t get it right away. Be patient. Give them a chance to catch up.
Yet, there may still be those who are content with their inexperience. Even the best leaders have learned to pull the plug on naive advice.
If people can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can’t do it.
Harmful
Some people are chronically negative. Don’t listen to the haters. Avoid them.
I mentioned in an earlier post:
Great leaders don’t expect everyone to get excited about their excitement. Why? Because there will be times when your intensity confronts the passivity of others.
Some people will be inspired by your vision. They’ll buy in. They’ll take ownership. And they’ll champion the cause and support it all along the way. These are the people that you want to ensure are on board.
Others will be intimidated and mask their discomfort with criticism.
Keep in mind, if you choose to ignore the advice of a mentor, there will be a cost. Consider the question: If I ignore their counsel, will the cost be worth it?
So, what’s the best business decision I ever made? I bought the property – and sold it 5 years later for more than 3 times the purchase price. I’m glad I didn’t listen.
Many of the experiences along my journey are quite simply the byproduct of the advice of one person who, years earlier, encouraged me to chase my vision. That person was my dad.
He challenged me – If you have a vision, go get it. Period! And I’m glad I listened.
Question: Have you ever had to ignore the advice of a trusted adviser? How did it turn out? Share your experience in the comments.
Wow!!!! Righ now, I’m not scared to say that I, can do anything
Great perspective!
It can be challenging to know who to listen to and when to not listen- especially if it is someone you look up to.
For me, I’ve seeking counsel from God and allowing His peace to guide me to be the most helpful.
While God can use people to speak to me, I should never put my trust in man over my trust in my Savior. He always has my back.
“If people can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can’t do it.”- That is sad but true!
I agree – each experience is an opportunity to grow.
Good thoughts David. Thanks for sharing.
My dad is the person whose advice I had to ignore once. I worked for a small firm (6 people) and got a job offer for a fortune 500 firm. My steady, reliable dad thought I should stay with the small firm. “What if you don’t like it?” he asked, “or what if they don’t like you.” My response, “Then I’ll get ANOTHER job.” I saw myself as employable and adaptable. His fear of change prevented that vision.
I took the job. Within 18 months, I was the Executive Assistant to the Chairman, Pres & CEO of the firm (the highest level executive assistant). It was a great experience. Great post, Michael.
It’s not easy to walk away from the advice of a parent. Thanks for sharing Kelly.
I’ve yet to experience the moment of choosing my gut over a TRUSTED advisor’s opinion. However, I do experience plenty of feedback from haters on almost a daily basis. It is very important to weed them out, mentally. Take certain words with a grain of salt.
This post is just really beautifully written, and something I needed to read today. So thank you. (:
Thanks Katie. Enjoy your day!