Why “The Elephant Keeps Walking as the Dogs Keep Barking” is the best advice for creators and disruptive innovators
Title: Why “The Elephant Keeps Walking as the Dogs Keep Barking” is the best advice for disruptive innovators
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” Mahatma Gandhi
Whenever a creator in you comes with the idea for building a product, writing a book, creating music, painting art, making a movie, starting a movement, launching a service, or starting up a venture, you are bound to face resistance from people around you.
“The Elephant Keeps Walking as the Dogs Keep Barking” is a perfect analogy that has worked for me for over 30 years. Every time I have been challenged by naysayers I have used it to embolden my conviction to turn the ideas into reality.
I remember a story I was told by my father during my early childhood.
It was about a king. One day while walking on his kingdom his feet got prickled. It started bleeding. It was an unbearable painful experience for the king.
The next day, he called all his ministers, advisors, and experts from his kingdom. He narrated to them the pain he suffered. He asked them to find the solution so that it does not happen to him again. After an intense debate, the ministers proposed to cover the entire kingdom with leather. The king passed the order to cover the entire kingdom as advised by the ministers.
When the order was communicated to the citizens of the kingdom, they all came to the king. They said to the king that this order will sabotage the entire kingdom. People will die of hunger as they will not be able to cultivate the farm, produce goods, and carry out trade.
The king again called his ministers, advisors, and experts for alternative solutions. They all debated again and after a few days of deliberation, they advised the king to spread dust all over the places so that all the objects that can cause prickle to get covered beneath the dust. The king passed the order. Laborers were deployed to cover up roads, nooks and corners with the soft dust.
It created another sort of problem. Whenever high wind will blow, the atmosphere will become dusty and people started feeling sick. It was difficult to come out home. There was near zero visibility due to dust particles.
Once again, citizens of the kingdom approached the king. The king asked the committee to consider the issues and come out with a better solution. This time committee advised spreading the water at all places which further caused the problem of wetlands and muds at all places. Living was so difficult for the citizens.
An old man approached the king with the solution. He presented a leather shoe to the king. He said this is fantastic. The king was about to present the awards to the old man when the committee stopped the king stating this is such an awkward solution. They cited reasons and causes that can badly affect the king and kingdom. They warned the king about the presence of evil in the old man and requested the king to order punishment to the old man. King followed the advice. The old man was granted jail.
History has time and again incidences of how people got infuriated, humiliated, and stopped when they came up with disruptive ideas. It can happen to you too.
Here are seven types of naysayers you will face and my advice to handle them
№1
The Big Bang Dramebaaz, the master of Propaganda, tantrum maker, and expert controversy maker. They will be always ready with their devastating thoughts to sabotage your conviction about your creation.
How to deal with them?
When faced with such people, you should remind yourself of your mission and simply ignore and walk away.
№2
The saucy touchy naysayers born to get angry and live unhappy for no reason. They will always keep their personal agenda over and above anything else.
How to deal with them?
You should know that they do not deserve to be pleased. Cut them short and move ahead.
№3
You will be facing dream-destroyers who are living evil and they know nothing else but to transpire you to “No. No. No.”
How to deal with them?
Stay healthy by staying away from such people and never reveal your dreams and ideas to them.
№4
The bossy-species kind of soul born to manipulate, influence, bully, inject negativity, and ill-will to whomsoever coming in their contact.
How to deal with them?
Never go to such person and never be like them
№5
The conformist having no respect and no feelings for others. They don’t know how to respect other’s points of view.
How to deal with them?
Ignore these opinion-makers. Always be you, don’t cover yourself with the mask, and don’t pretend to be what you are not.
№6
The unforgiving perfectionist who will stare at you like you are the misfit for the world and except him, nothing else is good in the world.
How to deal with them?
They don’t deserve even a glance of yours. You learn only by making mistakes and it is okay to make mistake.
№7
Finally, the devil who are on the mission to inject negativity, keep you scared, reminds you of underutilized, frustrated, and disappointed
How to deal with them?
Look at the brighter side of your vision and mission. Keep your hope. Live your sunshine. Stay motivated
It’s your turn now — share with me whether you have faced the naysayers and how did you handle them?
