Having hates is an inevitable part of any bold journey – everyone who has made a difference in the world has had doubters and critics. As natural as haters might be, in the age of social media it’s become harder and hard to ignore them – and so we asked some brilliant creatives and entrepreneurs to tell us how they deal with haters.
Jeffrey Booth
No matter what you decide to do or what stage of life you’re in, unfortunately in today’s world, you will undoubtedly have people rooting against you aka haters. When I first experienced this it was kind of a shock to be honest. It was astounding to me that some people, even some I know, were rooting against me or sending hateful messages on social media. Instead of letting this kind of behavior get you down, you need to turn it into fuel to motivate you even further, which is what I learned to do. Nowadays, I wouldn’t go as far to say I welcome it, but any negative energy directed toward me just makes me work that much harder. I love proving people wrong, again and again. Read more>>
Stephanie Montgomery
I persist because I have always felt that I am on this earth to do something HUGE that will benefit others. I persist because I am not doing anything for the approval of a human being. I am a woman of the Christian Faith and NOW I believe I am here for a reason… a higher purpose. I have always been a perfectionist when it comes to my life. Some would say to the point of being very annoying at times. I started my work life at 15 years old. I worked as a cashier in a supermarket in the Bronx part time while going to high school. After I graduated high school and left my parents’ very strict religious household all I wanted to do was have fun. Even then at that young age of 18 I knew I still had to be responsible so I went to trade school and learned the skills necessary to get a job as a legal secretary. My internal voice (which I now know to be God speaking to me even when I was not thinking so much about Him) was telling me I had to do more. I decided to enroll in College and then Law School. I worked many years (driven by the inner voice) as a legal secretary and then an attorney in New York. Many would say earning a six figure salary and the status of attorney means you have arrived. Still this was not enough so even with very limited support of family and friends I founded a women’s empowerment organization called SestraNow LLC. SestraNow’s mission is to unite and empower women mentally, physically and financially to be their best selves. I was very excited about launching SestraNow and thought to myself we are going to change the world by uniting women of all backgrounds and cultures. Many told me the organization would not be successful because there are so many women’s empowerment organizations in the world. We started SestraNow as a Facebook Group over four years ago and now have over 5000 followers worldwide. We have women in our organization that have grown very close and developed sisterly bonds. Our goal to monetize SestraNow did not happen until this year… four years later. If I would have listened to the naysayers and ignore that inner voice SestraNow would have been over many years ago because it was not making any money and women would come and go. We also received very little support from friends and family. So I persist by not listening to what any human being says to me. Read more>>
Ted Sterner
There was a time in my life when I was a “Yes” man. I was a company man who did my best to accomplish the tasks during the day, of course this is necessary for running a business, but for me I needed to live my dream as being a creator in the behavioral arts. I wanted to act and work in the industry in Hollywood and NOT be in the communications field any longer. From the beginning of expressing my interests in the entertainment industry I received the negatively biased prepositions people had been given about the industry, how difficult it is to “make it”, how it’s only for “special people” or how I wasn’t “talented enough”. Surely it has t been easy but I am now working in the industry with time to act whenever the opportunity arises. Read more>>
Erica Manning
This is a very long story. I was always looked down upon. I was the weird home school kid that wasn’t cool enough. I was the one who would watch in despair as other girl’s; not so discreetly, whispered in each other’s ears while pointing & laughing. For as long as I can remember someone had something critical to say. “Why do you dress like that?’ “Why are you so quiet?” “You have an okay body.” Read more>>
Andrea
It’s important for me to stay true to my values, to follow and live by my own standards and beliefs. Just like any successful company, I believe your personal values, core, and goals sets a tone for how you will persist through any adversity. Another person’s fear or negativity shouldn’t influence your plans. I refuse to let my future be influenced by someone else’s uncertainty. Read more>>
Seiren
Being a feminist activist comes with a lot of hatred. People hear the word feminist and make the assumption that you are an angry spinster, or that you’re an extremist that hates men, when in reality a feminist just wants equality and autonomy. These assumptions come from the fact that feminists need to shout, rage, and act out of norms, in order to be heard, because women are dismissed so easily. Read more>>
Angela Peel
Fairly easily actually, all you have to do is dissect what a “hater” and/or “naysayer” is, which is essentially someone who is functioning from a place of judgement of other, whether provoked or unprovoked. Hating on someone else is a form of projection FROM the hater which usually indicates an energy of lack in themselves, lack of control of their own lives. The saying is “hurt people HURT people”, for a reason. Knowing that (and this is the short version), is what helps me stay centered in myself, regardless of what’s thrown at me. On the other hand, “hatorade” is just fuel for someone like me. I transmute any and all lower energies to reinforce the determination I’ve already created for myself. Read more>>
Carolina Martinez
We’ve always believed in our unique vision for burgers and stayed true to our creative flavors and quality ingredients. Despite some initial skepticism, our passion for what we do and the support from our loyal customers kept us going. We’re thrilled to see how many people love our burgers now, and we’re excited for what’s next Read more>>
Lynica Moore
Persisting despite naysayers and haters can be challenging, but it is important to remember that their opinions do not define my worth or potential for success. Instead of letting the negative opinions discourage me, I use them as fuel to drive to continue on my path. Read more>>
Sarah Russo
I let the criticism fuel my fire. Rarely has there been impactful people who haven’t provoked the status quo. Shaking things up is all part of the process. I try to just let any hate bounce off me or transmute into motivation. That’s exactly what they don’t want. Never forget your vision and let yourself and aligned people be your North Star. Read more>>
