Backing yourself all the way

Stand up, resist and demand fair treatment. Jesus from South Park gets it! (Image Cred – South Park Studios)

A massive theme in my life over the past 12 – 18 months has been the importance of standing up for oneself and backing myself. It’s been like that for many of my awesome clients / friends as well in that we have had people / situations that have tried to walk all over us.

For me, I have had the quite mean to the pure bizarre of friends getting drunk and threatening to beat me up on my bucks night, right through to people in charity projects criticising the way I dress, behave (yet still demand me to help them and bow to them).

It’s been a funny one actually in that recently in a charity project, I have had a few people try that and not get very far. They try and push me around, make fun of me and the like – and they got back from me strength, resistance and ultimately got the message and backed off.

This is life when you are in business especially in that you don’t have say a boss, massive company or HR manager behind you. You have your own wits, skill, agility and focus to win the day.

What this has all taught me (and many of my fine colleagues and friends) is being strong, not being afraid to cause ways and a willingness to overcome ones fear and stand their ground.

It’s very important actually – if you don’t stand your ground, your business won’t succeed to any depth you deserve and even worse – you have to live with yourself knowing you are someone’s doormat.

My big advice on this one? Stand Ground! Push back! Be fair! Demand you get treated fairly (it reminds me of awesome Jesus Christ from South Park actually, he is a cool guy – but when he gets pushed over the edge he is known to really fight back and win the day. Go Jesus!).

If you are like how I once was and everyone is wiping their feet on you, time to fight back and balance things out. If they don’t want you around, that’s awesome. There are plenty around that will take you in.

A great example in my case is I was once in a few different networking groups that kicked me out. I then got picked up by NSW Business Chamber, Parramatta Chamber and the top of the town with full endorsements. Nice. I am way ahead of what I used to be.

Be yourself and demand respect. That’s how it works on the mean streets of Sydney (or I bet wherever you live).

Love your work, fight back and resist, please share and enjoy!