We’re serving you up some awesomeness!
Hey there, JP Moses here, introducing our Awesomely community to a dear friend and genius REIer.
Who am I talking about?
Whelp, meet Matt Andrews. Dude is a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, growth hacker, film producer, and bestselling author. Quintuple threat, yowza!
Matt’s best known for the Real Estate Investors Guide book series, The Family Reunion Marketing Summit, and as the founder of REI Collective.
Now that you understand how legit this guy is, I’m gonna toss this blog post space over to him!
Starting with some Qs from Matt…
Do you get all bent out of shape when someone says something negative about you?
I get it, we’re human after all, and some of us can be quite sensitive. And that’s OK!
Look, I’ve certainly had my fair share of critics… but I haven’t let them slow me down.
And my method for dealing with criticism could help you deal with it just as well as I have. Yep, I’ve got 3 ninja tips to handle critics like a pro coming at you.
Critics: The Groupies of Success
We all have our critics. In fact, the more successful you are, the more critics you’re gonna have.
Think about Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, and J.K. Rowling…
They’re the best at what they do, and they have the harshest critics.
I’ve even been there…
The minute my best-selling books first hit #1, I had all kinds of critics. In fact, one reviewer said my book was the worst one he had ever read on the subject of real estate investing. Thankfully, I had 500 other good reviews to counterbalance that.
The critics will come after you when you succeed.
So how do you respond to criticism?
Well, here’s what I do…
My 3-Step Process
1. Consider the Source
Does the person criticizing you have your best interest at heart? Will they be affected by your success or your failure?
I like to think, “When you’re the one paying me, then you can have a say in how I spend my money, operate my business and live my life.”
If they don’t have a vested interest in your future, then you can completely discount what they say now.
2. It’s Not About You
Realize that usually your worst critics are in some kind of personal pain, and their criticism actually says a lot more about them than it says about you.
When that’s the case, the criticism holds very little truth.
3. Have a Little Fun
My friends and I love to share ridiculous critic stories, because we know that it’s really their problem, not ours.
We joke around all the time about how these people come at us… and you know what? We actually have fun with it.
Criticism Indicates Success
When somebody is criticizing you or coming after you because of your success or because you’re stepping out and trying something new… it’s usually a sign that you’re on the right track.
In fact, I’d be more worried if I didn’t have critics.
Some people would even say — and I agree — until you have critics, you’re not really reaching a large level of success or a large number of people.
So, be happy when you get slammed, because that is your confirmation that you’re actually moving in the right direction.
“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”
~Elbert Hubbard
Does Anyone Have a Say?
Not all critics are out to get you. There are some who are actually worth listening to.
Listen to people who have already done what you want to do. Listen to people who have already achieved what you want to achieve.
And most importantly, listen to the people who have a vested interest in your success. Listen to people who have your best interests at heart.
That’s how I deal with critics. I suggest you give my methods a go, I’m pretty sure they’ll work for you too.
“If you’re not open to constructive criticism, then you’re not open to truly growing as a person.”
~Anonymous
Let me leave with you with these helpful, immediate action steps:
1. Consider who has recently criticized you. Is it someone you trust or someone you should ignore?
2. Let It Go. Have you received a criticism that’s been holding you back? If it’s not worth your time, stop letting it weigh you down.
3. Ask. Seek advice from people who have your back. Everyone needs a little feedback now and then.
Take care,
Matt