Haters Gonna Hate. (But Not Everyone Is A Hater Either.)

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Has anyone else noticed how people today seem to be becoming increasingly unable to take even an ounce of criticism that’s directed at them? Of course, it’s always been hard to for any of us to accept uncharitable commentary about our work or our business, but, of late, I feel like we’re tipping into a culture where the modus operandi we’re adopting in response to feedback like this is something along the lines of “you’re either with us, or you’re against us.”

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No middle ground is spared to even just consider the critiques we receive; instead, we simply deem those who profess such sentiments to be “haters,” and either choose to turn a blind eye to them and what they say, or, worse, ridicule them for even daring to share their thoughts.

Now, I’m sure that all of you, like me, have witnessed examples of such defensive attitudes play out on social media, but I have to admit that it was particularly alarming to personally witness them in entrepreneurs around me. For instance, there was one who, despite being quite successful and quite popular, turn prickly and paranoid at the mere suggestion that not everyone may be onboard with them and their brand.

Another had seemingly adopted a “pay them no mind” philosophy when it came to people who disagreed or found fault with the ideas they spouted. They had instead to chosen to live in a bubble of their own making, surrounded by only yes-people, and an abject refusal to entertain any contrarian views at all.

Look, I get it- it’s a lot more pleasurable to live in a world where everything and anything is as we want to see it. But not only is such a notion absolutely unrealistic, it’s also important to remember that blocking out criticism also blocks us from evolving into better versions of ourselves. There is value in being open to different perspectives, and, yes, while I will agree that not all criticism is equal, I also believe that it’s dangerous to paint them all with the same brush.

As entrepreneurs, there’s really a lot that can be said about you and your businesses in terms of how you respond to criticism on those two factors- and that, by itself, should make you reconsider how you go about doing just that. You may just be missing out on valuable (and constructive) tidbits.

Related: Stuck In Over-Analysis? Here’s How You Can Find Your Sweet Spot (And Stay In The Present Moment)