Don't listen too much to others!
"Never be constrained by other people's limited imaginations." This saying came to my attention the other day, and I find it very appropriate.
It happens to us all the time: we have a great idea, a dream, a new thought for the future - and then others explain to us why it won't work. After a certain time, we stop thinking big. We prefer to limit ourselves from the outset. Why is that? Well, in the end, we all want to be loved by others. That's why we avoid situations in which the environment threatens us with "withdrawal of love".
Do not listen too much to others
Our brain is designed to keep us alive - not to make us happy and particularly successful. Consequence: If you want to achieve more than mediocrity in life, then you should not listen too much to others. By the way, this applies all the more the bigger your goals are. This topic is also important for strategy development, where your vision should be so big that various people will oppose it - mostly out of fear.
How can you now achieve big goals and take others along with you on this journey? Here are three helpful questions that will help you take a big step forward:
Question #1: How do I want to make the world a better place? Why?
This question creates the necessary clarity and ensures your personal commitment so that you are not discouraged at the first headwind. The "world" in the question will usually not be the whole world, but the area you can directly influence, e.g. your customers, your team, your family and so on. The clearer your aspirations and your "why" are, the better you will not only be able to join forces, but also to get others on board.
Question No. 2: What is the most important instrument for this?r?
This second question is an excellent lever for making rapid progress and turning your critics into fans. For example, if you want to raise innovation to world-class levels in your team or company (see question 1), your most important tool for doing so is the mindset of your people and the resulting culture. For Elon Musk, with his goal of making humanity an interplanetary life form, the rockets of his SpaceX program are the most important tool.
Question #3: How can I create initial results?
If you take too long to create visible results, you will run out of steam and, most importantly, critics will mushroom. Creating a high momentum right from the start is one of the most important factors for your success. Tip: Think about how you can already implement something within the first few days or weeks in such a way that it is a confirmation of the path.
Conclusion:
Here are three questions whose answers will help you avoid listening too much to others when it is counterproductive to achieving your goals.
To the author:
Volkmar Völzke is a success maximizer. Book author. Consultant. Coach. Speaker. www.volkmarvoelzke.ch