How to respond to haters and learn to embrace them

When you overcome obstacles and achieve success, you’ll be gravely disappointed if you’re looking for congratulations.

Even accomplished athletes such as Lebron James and Tom Brady face criticism from experts who never made their high school football team.

Over the years, I’ve faced criticism from people that couldn’t write a sentence or sell newspapers.
I used to be angry and respond to them. Today, I treat them like gnats, although some break through and sting you.

In order to deal with critics, you have to understand their motivation to bring you down to their level.
You broke through the doomsayers and found happiness while they were still on the wall waiting for someone to ask them to dance.

You realize to accomplish anything, you need to focus, be disciplined and wait for nothing. Always force the action, and be relentless in whatever you do.

One of the reasons I’m successful in selling papers is that I don’t have a jealousy button. If someone buys the paper from someone else and they give that person an envelope full of money, it’s good for them.

Unfortunately, haters have a different mindset because they don’t have communication skills. They see people buy from you, so they get up the next morning trying to block you because they are jealous and envious that you got it and they don’t.

Truth hurts. It can make you quit or be more determined

When I first started selling newspapers, I had zero interest in making $40 and waiting for a roach-infested apartment in a bad neighborhood.

I’ve been to the mountain and was determined to get out of my situation. I heard people complain that $20 wasn’t enough. I took my first $20 to buy clean clothes and some hygiene products, and that small investment made my sales grow exponentially.

While selling newspapers, someone offered me an odd job that paid $100. Instead of looking for a raise, I watched others until they said, “Step-in” and that $100 job led me to full-time employment.

While others complain, I see opportunities

I worked a job where I thought I was irreplaceable and got replaced.

I deserved it and had to humble myself to be hired back as a waiter/bartender.

It was cutthroat, and I would do slow shifts where I was lucky to get five tables.

Waiters make $5 an hour, and I pay for the screwups, which meant I was working for free.

Some would have quit, but I got better, my tips got larger, and now I don’t worry whether I have five or $100. I will make sure everyone that sees me has a great experience, and the tips will come for great service.

Take advantage of free classes

One of the things I never could understand is vendors complaining about others people’s columns.
One vendor said he couldn’t sell papers because of what I’ve written.

It’s not complicated. If I write something you don’t like, there’s a writers’ group if you can’t write, there are art groups, poetry, or water coloring.

Don’t take it personally

If you don’t get published, ask why? Maybe something needs clarification. Maybe there’s incorrect grammar. Maybe it’s untimely.

Nobody likes being edited but humble yourself. If you don’t like the edits, you can shop your column for other newspapers. Be grateful! It’s not as if you are being printed in the New York Times or the Washington Post.

Just write, and you’ll be surprised who takes an interest

The selling mindset; getting your hustle on.

Days I sell my newspapers, I get in the selling mindset.

Early morning I do a morning jog, eat breakfast and make sure my clothes are ironed and pressed.
Eighty percent of sales are based on appearance. Would you see a doctor that is disheveled and hasn’t shaved? We all start somewhere, but change shows that Street Sense works. So appearance should be a top priority.

The next step is presentation and delivery. I try making my papers look new. Papers that look crumpled and wet reflect on you, so getting clean clothes may be hard but having clean papers is something you can control.

When you inspire and make an impact people will reward you

Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an essential role in a happy life; they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change.

I’m blessed that I’m content with what I have and have no desire trying to covet others.

Jealousy is a terrible emotion, and it’s destructive.

If you sell papers to make money, maybe you should do an emotional housecleaning.

I sell because I have fun and enjoy meeting and getting to know people. Making money is the result of being able to put smiles on faces.

Being mean and nasty results from no one paying attention to you. When anger rises, think of the consequences.

I will close with a quote by the French author Victor Hugo. “The wicked envy and hate; it is their way of admiring.”