Monday Madness: Make Nay-sayers Walk the Plank

No matter what goals we're pursuing, there's always someone whispering behind your back (or telling you to your face) that you can't do it. Even if you're not close to these people, you might start to doubt. And if the nay-sayer is someone whom you deal with on a day-to-day basis (maybe they are even your significant other, your parent, your sibling, your best friend OR, even worse, yourself) then it's even more difficult to ignore them. So here are a few tips to make your nay-sayer walk the plank:

1. When you start thinking, "I can't" tell yourself, "I can." Look at yourself in the mirror and say, "I can do this. I will keep trying. I will strive harder. I will not give in."

2. Distract yourself. This especially works when the nay-saying is coming from yourself. If the negativity involves a certain project, go do something else that completely absorbs you. Read. Go for a run. Hang out with friends. Surf the internet for bad jokes.

3. Remind yourself that anything worth having is worth fighting for. As Stephan Dolley Jr. says, "A man who wants something will find a way; a man who doesn't will find an excuse."

4. When I'm surrounded by negative people, I start thinking negatively. One of the things to do is to remove yourself from these people (at least for a while) or, if that's not possible, then tell them straight out (and I've done this before), "Let's see if we can go a whole 30 minutes without saying something negative."

5. Surround yourself with positive influences. I, personally, love motivational quotes. I have them tacked all around my desk and doodled in my sketch book. It's amazing how powerful these things can be.

So what about you? How do you drown out the nay-saying?