It’s the day after Christmas, maybe you are taking down the decorations, maybe you leave them up until mid-January, maybe you meet in the middle. Either way, Christmas Day has passed us and we are figuring out how to get back into the groove. Today’s challenge, what are you regifting?
Now I’m not talking about that ugly sweater, those socks you don’t need, that horrible shirt you got, or those house slippers that no one in their right minds would wear. I’m talking about feedback.
You know and I know that you had people asking about your business during the holidays, or you at least got questions about your day job. Remember, we have discussed how we define ourselves by our titles and positions at work. So to make small talk, that’s what people ask about. But they aren’t like you or me, they place more value on titles than they should. So when they asked you, no doubt you got some commentary or feedback with it.
Did you hear things like, “With all of this uncertainty, you should be grateful for your job?”
Or, “Why are you starting a business, that’s too risky. Just keep your secure job. You’ve worked hard for it.”
Or, “Not making any money yet in your business. See, told you it was a bad idea.”
I’m sure you walked away from those holiday discussions feeling less than confident. That’s not where we want you to be. Now, for just a second let me say that you could have heard things like, “Wow, your own business? You are going to be great!” Or, “It’s good you are starting something new, you are too talented to work for someone else or for someone who doesn’t appreciate you.”
I hope you did hear that. But if you didn’t, I want you to take that negative feedback and regift it. What I mean is, write that feedback down on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put it in the fire, in the trash, or wherever you can get rid of it. Don’t hang on to that feedback. It isn’t valuable or valid. Let it go.
We need your confidence back on track for New Year’s Day! So let’s get it there.
Be Legendary!