One of the toughest lessons we have to learn in life is not to take things personally.
Every parent, whether you’ve had to manage a loud toddler tantrum in Aisle 5 of the grocery store or waited up past curfew for your wayward teenager, knows it is very easy to take the actions of our beloved children very personally.
We face a similar challenge as mompreneurs. We create, care, feed and offer our programs and services that really express the best of who we are. Our service offerings are our business “babies.”
It takes a certain kind of courage to put our offerings out there in an increasingly crowded and competitive marketplace. And the reality is we entrepreneurs aren’t always hitting home runs. There are a lot of times we strike out at bat, not getting the results or interest we want.
If you take that market rejection personally, ouch!
Growing your business to have an impact in the world requires you, as the leader of your business, to step out from behind the computer and step out in front of people. You need to get yourself in front of clients, possible joint venture partners, the media, and your community.
With that larger presence in the world, you can’t fly below the radar anymore. Inevitably, some people won’t be interested in what you have to offer. Worse still, they might even start to criticize your offer.
Let me give you a brief personal example. After speaking at a women’s networking gathering, I was overwhelmed with the enthusiastic responses from attendees. The next day I heard from a nay-sayer who said that she “hadn’t learned anything new.”
My emotional high from the night before was dashed because of one person. My ego wanted to make her wrong and my self-doubt kicked into high gear, questioning ability to deliver a quality presentation.
3 Strategies to Stop Taking Rejection Personally
#1: Choose to Shift
When someone doesn’t approve, agree or like what you’re up to, it is up to you to make the choice to shift out of reactive mode. Let’s face it, being defensive or coming across wounded is not a very client-attractive marketing strategy. Focus on shifting back into a place of groundedness and trust quickly.
#2: What Other People Think of You Is None of Your Business
Recognize that everyone is always going to have their own perspective and emotional “stuff” going on that influences their behavior and actions. My nay-sayer could have lost her cat, gotten a flat tire or been developing a migraine. The decision to let her statements impact my energy and focus in a negative way is about me, not her. Taking responsibility for your own thoughts, words and actions is a key to living in your brilliance.
#3: Discover the Gift
Set your ego aside for a moment and honestly ask yourself what you have learned from the experience. For example, maybe you see your sales process online is confusing to people, or your customer service system is too slow. That’s great feedback to get because you can correct and improve. Rather than indulging in feeling rejected and getting grouchy, simply choose to see the feedback as a great opportunity to make a needed course correction that will steer you towards greater success.
Want more tips on how to unlock your brilliance? Get a copy of Carolyn’s special report “The 7 Secrets to Unlocking Your Brilliance as a Woman Entrepreneur”, visit www.BrillianceMastery.com