November 10th, 2024

HATERS GONNA HATE
It’s an old topic that keeps resurfacing but I felt like addressing it again as the season of goodwill is almost upon us. A few people have forgotten their mindfulness and be kind culture and still feel the need to be a keyboard warrior.
What drives these people to write such hate? Fuelled by their own inadequecies or just simply do they have a toxic personality? It’s not just aimed at me, I have seen several posts across social media from others experiencing the same. Just what is wrong with people?
So I posted on LinkedIn the other day and received a comment that I am only in business “to fuel my lifestyle in Cyprus and Liverpool.” It made me laugh. Stop the press. A business owner is operating to make a profit because the last time I checked, my bills couldn’t be paid by hearts and likes. And of course I am in business to make money, aren’t we all?
To be fair, I haven’t raised my advertising prices since Covid and we won’t mention the numerous people I have mentored in their career journey, but that’s another story entirely.
I am baffled by how people cruelly target others to try and destroy their confidence, or maybe it is as simple as wanting to get attention, hoping for a comment in retaliation. I won’t rise to it.
The way I see it is that a negative comment is reflective of their behaviour, not mine. Trolls are there to create distrust but please, keep talking about me. You’re raising my profile.
The first time I was trolled was when I was 19 years old and a reporter on a local paper. I published an article, which had to go through a news editor and editor before it was published. The subject of the feature didn’t like it and went on a personal campaign to try and destroy my reputation and I thought it was the end of my career. My newspaper colleagues, however, were ecstatic because people in the community were talking about the newspaper and my editor gave me the best advice which I have carried through my career. “If there’s one thing worse than being talked about, it’s not being talked about.” And so I have carried my #bememorable with me ever since.
I have lost count of the number of times I have been trolled so viscously, once to the point that I had to launch a defamation lawsuit. In every case, I can say that the people in question have gone out of business. And I am still standing. Because people do business with people and if you’re filled with nastiness, others will see it eventually and who wants to work with someone so hateful?
I had to take my babies to meetings and always checked that the people in question weren’t bothered by it. And on one occasion I returned to find myself slagged off by a woman for being unprofessional for bringing my baby to work.
I have always kept my head down and focused on myself and the people who I work with. We’re in it to elevate each other’s businesses and success, I surround myself with like-minded people with the same ambitious mindset.
By ignoring the haters, you are denying them the attention they crave. Trolls often thrive on getting a reaction, and responding to them can escalate the situation. It's vital to remember that you can't reason with someone whose primary goal is to provoke.
My advice to anyone on the receiving end of being trolled is to congratulate yourself on being a success, you’re obviously doing something right that has attracted the attention from someone who isn’t doing as well as you. Successful people don’t have time to focus on negative people, they’re too busy building their own empires.
Do not let them throw you off your gameplan, stay focused on your work and your clients. Remember that rumours are started by haters and spread by fools. Let them talk. If they haven’t already heard of you, they may google you and that is going to boost your ranking. There's thousands of businesses out there, thousands of potential new clients waiting to benefit from your products and services. So quietly thank them for their interest in you. Do not question your abilities or let them wobble your confidence.
The block button is there for a reason. Press it and press on with creating the fabulous lifestyle you deserve.

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