WHY YOU SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE:
I speak about the effect that negative people can have on a person quite a bit in my latest book- Making It Happen: The Ultimate Guide to Selling. Negativity effects morale, performance, motivation, and energy. You must have heard the saying, “You are the company that you keep”. The more you hang around people who tell you that something can’t be done, the more you’ll begin to believe them. If you want to stay focused, and be buzzed and excited about life and your career, then you need to surround yourself with the right people.
Successful people tend to hang around other successful people, and positive people attract other positive people. Be with individuals that are hardworking, motivated and optimistic. This goes for all areas in your life, professional and private.
I’ve consulted many companies battling with staff turnover and productivity issues over the years, and the common denominator has always been a negative individual who seems to affect the entire office morale and company culture. All that it takes is one person’s negativity to destroy a great environment. These people thrive off gossip, scandal, and negativity and it’s their aim to get as many people into their corner as they can. My suggestion to each and every company that has a person like this is to get rid of them immediately. I have no tolerance for this kind of behaviour, especially because negativity breeds more negativity. Nothing positive can grow in a stagnant, unconstructive environment. The businesses that have taken my advice on this have come back saying that, after letting the negative person go, they have seen their other employees’ productivity increase, and noted a positive shift in attitudes throughout the office.
Perhaps that’s why I have no time for office banter and water cooler talk. If you’re at work, then you are there to do a job. And, if you have your head screwed on right and have all your goals in check, you won’t have time to sit around drinking coffee and discussing pointless things.
Another obstacle that can prevent you from achieving your goals is laziness. This has got to be my absolute pet peeve. There is absolutely no excuse for laziness. You can’t expect to be a millionaire if you’re not prepared to put the hard work in, and you definitely can’t be a successful salesperson if you’re not prepared to put in the hours. If you have a goal, then stick to it. Map it out, and then commit.
Often, laziness is disguised. I once had an employee who used every excuse in the book to cover up his own laziness: “It’s not possible”; “I would do it, but it’s never been done before”; “We’re not getting the right results because people just aren’t interested”; “It’s not me, it’s the product!”. I can’t tell you how much it frustrates me when people tell me that something can’t be done! Obviously, this employee didn’t last long in my company. I replaced him with someone who enjoyed being challenged, who was excited about going where no one had gone before, and who never gave up when he faced a difficulty. It’s individuals like these who will always go far in life. Their positivity is infectious, their work attitude is admirable and their ability to stay focused on achieving their goals is unwavering! If everyone was more like this, then we would all experience huge success, and we’d have many more millionaires in the world!
If you’re reading this and you have a negative person in your life who is affecting your happiness and success, then cut them out! Conversely, if you happen to be the negative one, then commit to being more positive. Do things for others without expecting anything back, be thankful for the things that you have, and appreciate the people around you. Changing your behaviour will see you achieving things that you never thought were possible. When you have a negative attitude, you’ll miss so many opportunities that could have come your way. But when you’re positive, you are more open to accepting good things. You’ll be more energised, more motivated, and ready for huge success!
How to banish negative thoughts:
- Take responsibility: Many negative people tend to play the victim. They blame other people or external factors for their lack of success. By taking responsibility for what you’ve done wrong, you’re able to put it behind you and start again, this time in a more positive manner.
- Help someone: Doing good deeds doesn’t just make you look like a good person; they make you feel like a good person. And, when you feel good, invariably you’ll be a lot more positive.
- Be grateful: List everything that you have to be grateful for, even if all that you’re grateful for is the fact that you have a roof over your head and a job. Each day try to find more things that you’re thankful for, and you’ll see the list grow.
- Exercise: Exercise helps everything. It’ll boost your morale, it’ll help keep your goals clear, and it’ll keep you motivated. Trust me!
