I recently blogged about the importance of keeping your mind flexible and open to new ideas. One of the results of achieving this goal is that you will come up with new ideas. Some could be simply helping you to organize your life and work better, but others could snowball into something spectacular.
Prepare to innovate. Then get ready for everything that follows. When you come up with the next brilliant concept or groundbreaking strategy, also be prepared that innovators will be met by the doubtful naysaying of the rigid minds. Every new breakthrough spawns a culture of criticism. Your new approach, particularly once it is heralded by many, will create the opportunity for others to criticize and complain.
I believe that this response is good. If the criticism is unfounded, it proves that your idea is solid, so much so that the jealous ones are trying to nip away at your success.
Even the criticism that has basis is worthwhile. I believe there are no weaknesses; just opportunities. A flaw is a chance to grow and improve. Unless, of course, you can only see it as a negative, in which case, you’ve gone as far as your now-rigid mind will allow, and that’s a shame.
Before that happens, shake off the naysayers, silence their complaints, and keep your eye focused on your goal. Before you introduce your new idea, create a contingency checklist of all the "what if’s".
- What if the idea doesn’t work for everyone intended?
Simple. Turn it into a niche solution.
- What if the price is perceived as too high?
Revisit your costs and see where you can either tighten your expenses, shave your profits, or look at a more affluent market.
- What if the sales aren’t as strong as I forecast?
Sell harder.
Expect confrontation. Prepare for criticism. Be advised that the armchair quarterbacks are ready to tell you where you went wrong. But don’t let your breakthrough turn into a breakdown because the critics find flaws. Seize the opportunity!
