The “Three You’re Crazy” Rule. Who Does it Apply to?

The “Three You’re Crazy” Rule. Who Does it Apply to?

Written By Jeffrey Gitomer
@GITOMER

KING OF SALES, The author of seventeen best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His live coaching program, Sales Mastery, is available at gitomer.me.

You get a new job, start a new venture, or get involved with network marketing. Someone says, “You’re crazy;” then, someone else says, “You’re crazy;” then someone else says, “You’re crazy,” and then you quit. That’s the Three you’re crazy” rule and most people can’t get past it. Can you?

You took the new position, or went out on your own, or got involved for one or more of these three reasons:

1. You really liked it and thought it would be fun to do.

2. The opportunity was fantastic, and you thought you could make (earn) money, or gain the experience you needed.

3. You thought it would get you closer to achieving your dreams.

People who tell you you’re crazy are known as “pukers.” Their job is to make you feel stupid, inadequate or incapable of making good judgments. Pukers are people to avoid at all costs.
Here are some early warning signals someone is puking on you…

  • They tell you to get a real job.
  • They share examples of failure.
  • They ridicule your judgment.
  • They make fun of the imagined outcome.
  • They tell you you’re sure to lose your money and fail miserably.

Whew! What a drag it is to hear that kind of stuff. Why can’t they just encourage you, or support you, or ask if they can help you succeed, or just say, “way to go!” Why are they saying, “you’re crazy”? Why do people put you down instead of build you up? Here are some insights that will warm your heart.
The main reasons others puke on you are:

  • Their own limited self-image.
  • Their own low self-esteem.
  • A low opinion of you.
  • A jealousy of you.
  • An envy of you.
  • An environmental reaction (as in theirs sucks).
  • An attitude reaction (as in theirs sucks).
  • A reaction of ignorance (as in they’re stupid).

So, the first thing to think when someone so graciously pukes on you is, “Cool. It ain’t me.”

OK, they’re pukers. What do I do about it? How do I handle it? What’s the first step to “Pepto Bismoling” them? Here’s a one-word clue, “look.”