Three Tips to Protect Your Career Dreams from the Naysayers

If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say that the career that they wanted to get into was ‘very competitive,’ I would be a billionaire.  

We’ve all been there. We get excited about a potential career move, share it with the next person we see, and in a moment, our dreams are shattered.

If we want to give ourselves a chance to see our dreams realised, there are a few tips that could make the difference between a life fulfilled and a life of drudgery. 

TIP 1 – Choose Wisely Who You Speak to and Who You Entrust With Your Dreams 

When we start dreaming about the things we are passionate about, we want to tell everyone!  We want to share our excitement for that new career, business idea, or reimagined lifestyle.

And unless you are one of those few people built like Teflon, what others say will influence you.  

Be aware that not everyone will share your excitement.  Not everyone will see the possibility in the impossibility.

If you don’t choose the people you share your dreams with wisely, there is a strong chance that your giant balloon of enthusiasm will either burst with a loud bang or gradually wither and fall to the floor.  

Be vigilant.  Choose people who have fulfilled their dreams, who have a can-do, ‘anything is possible’ attitude, those who know what it is like to overcome adversity to achieve their vision.

Choosing the people you share your dreams with will save you from needing to overcome negative thinking and the time it could take to pick yourself and your little shrivelled pieces off the floor.

TIP 2 – Have Stock Answers to Fend Off the Dream-Stealers

People will always ask about your work: What do you do? How’s work going? What are you doing next? — it’s just normal conversation.

Getting upset that people are asking is a waste of energy.

But failing to guard yourself against comments that could erode your enthusiasm and hope will make the journey to your dreams a whole lot harder. 

So you need to be prepared.

Avoid saying things like:

• I don’t know what to do next
• I don’t know where I am going or what I am doing
• I am looking for a job/new career

It just invites people to give their advice and ask invasive questions that are not helpful.

Instead, have some answers ready, suitable for the situation you find yourself in and for the kind of person you are talking to.

Here are some examples:

• I am conducting some research around a possible business/work opportunity.
• I’m taking the next two months out to review my options. 
• I’m working on my next steps with my coach.

You can even have fun with comments that will take the conversation in a different, lighter direction:   

• I do nothing!  (I used this when I was in between jobs and would say it in a funny, mysterious way, and it would open up a different conversation.)

Having stock answers ready means you start every conversation on the right footing and protect yourself from the dream-stealers.

TIP 3 – Decide Now That You Will Not Give Value to The Advice of the Naysayers

People will always have opinions about what you are doing or not doing.  But not everyone’s opinion is equal. 

If you were the England Rugby Captain with a dream to win the World Cup, from whom would you take advice?  A former England Rugby Captain or Joe Bloggs who watches matches from the comfort of his armchair?

I think you know the answer. 

Everyone comes from different places with different values, ideas, and opinions. 

Get good at recognising whose advice carries weight, and avoid unsupportive, negative folk who don’t have your best interests at heart.

Four People Who Defied the Nay-Sayers and Changed the World

Thomas Edison, regarded as one of history’s most prolific inventors, most famously known for inventing the light bulb, was referred to as being mentally confused by his teachers.  

William Wilberforce, well known for the abolition of Britain’s transatlantic slave trade, faced fierce opposition from the wealthy and powerful invested in the slave trade.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s own business partners didn’t think Americans would pay for lattes and cappuccinos.   

Nike Founder Phil Knight encountered many naysayers along the way. But at the age of 24—during a run—he made this vow: “Let everyone else call your idea crazy. Just keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there. Whatever comes, just don’t stop.” 

There is no denying that the world would be a very different place today if it weren’t for these people defying the naysayers and pursuing the things in their hearts.  

Don’t Give Up!

Going after your career dreams requires determination.  Protect your passion by recognising who the naysayers are.  Decide not to listen to them.  Bring the right people around you and stay focused.

Have the Opinions of Others Burst Your Career Dream Bubble?

What have naysayers said to you about your dreams?  What effect has that had?  How long have their voices been rolling around in your head?  

If you want help pursuing your career dreams, drop me a line today.