“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember — the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you.” -Zig Ziglar

Goal setting is hard enough without being held down by the negativity of others. If you have ever worked hard on a goal or have envisioned a dream for yourself and shared that dream or success with the wrong person, you know how much the negativity of others can affect your own feelings about a dream or goal.

It is a hard truth about being a dreamer that others around you may not always be as supportive of your goals as you might wish.  Every person who has accomplished big things will tell you that they were often labeled “crazy” or “stupid” along the way to their successes.

The way that others feel about your plans and goals does not have to mirror your own feelings about those things. If someone feels negatively about your plans, accept their opinion for what it is–their opinion, and move on with your work.  No one can stop you from achieving your goals– no one but you.

There are two Mindsets that will help you to weather the storm caused by negativity around you. The first of these is the Resilience Mindset. The Resilience Mindset lets you turn the negativity of others into the fuel that will push you forward toward your goals. The Resilience Mindset reminds you that challenges are lessons in disguise and that weathering storms allow you to grow in many ways that are necessary for you to reach for bigger and bigger successes.

The Resilience Mindset was what kept me going when I moved numerous times throughout my childhood and had to adjust to new schools, new friends and even new environments. I could have allowed the challenges and the negative things that came with them to break me down or make me give up on my goals. Instead, I used the Resilience Mindset to see the positives in each challenge so I could attain everything that I had ever dreamed of.

The second Mindset that you can use to overcome the negative words of others is the Courage Mindset. Courage is not a lack of fear, but is instead the bravery to do something even when you are scared.  Looking at the critiques of others square in the eye and going on working towards your goals anyway requires courage.

When you start viewing your actions through the lens of Courage, you start seeing opportunities in everything that you do.  The Courage Mindset will allow you to jump at chances that others would not take action towards. With Courage supporting your viewpoint, you will be able to acknowledge the difficulties that you might face as you work toward a goal while taking action towards your goals anyhow.

I challenge you to review your Master Plan and make sure that the goals you have set related to it are clearly outlined. Now, stick to your Master Plan, no matter what others say. Stick to your Master Plan for 6 months, no matter your own doubts or the doubts of others. This exercise will teach you to stay the course and to see things through, even when naysayers doubt you!