The right career backer can open doors for you, creating new opportunities and introducing you to exciting people. They’ll be eager to give you their feedback: raw, honest and, sometimes, critical – because they need to be.
A good backer also knows exactly what to say to keep you motivated, to push you to the next level and to make you want to try harder and reach even higher.
Here are 11 of the most encouraging things your cheerleader can say.
1. “Do You Need Help?”
A good cheerleader is always on hand to listen and offer advice. They also know that you’re sometimes too proud to ask for a hand, even when you need help. Which is why they’ll always offer.
2. “You Can Do It”
They’ll believe in you, which makes it so much easier to believe in yourself.
3. “Can We Look At This In A New Way?”
Even if you’ve pitched a good idea or come up with a solution to an issue, a good backer will want to push you harder – they’ll challenge you to see things through a different lens and to shift perspectives. Even if you settle on your original concept, you’ll be able to defend it more vehemently than before and you’ll feel more committed.
4. “What Are You Waiting For?”
Is this the year you’re going to summon up the courage to take your passion and run with it? Or are you going to ask your boss for that promotion that you feel you’ve deserved for a while but haven’t had the courage to have a conversation about? A good cheerleader will push you to take those next steps – even the scary ones.
5. “You Can Do Better”
The hallmark of a good backer? Honesty. They’re not afraid to hurt your feelings, if that means it will encourage you to produce better work. And, sometimes, you need constructive criticism to get to that next level.
6. “When You Fall, Pick Yourself Up And Dust Yourself Off”
So, your presentation was an epic fail. Or maybe you got turned down for a promotion after finally putting yourself out there. These things happen. But keeping your head held high, keeping your goals in mind and continuing to push through the tough times is the best way to get over them. Tomorrow’s a new day.
7. “Start Living Your Best Life”
In career terms or personal ones, you can’t sit around and just watch things happen.. You need to make them happen, instead of feeling that everything is inevitable. Whether that means getting up earlier each day to get in a more positive mind-frame or looking for a new job in something that inspires you, there’s no time like the present to go for it.
8. “Keep On Trucking”
Or toiling away. Or working at it. A good cheerleader will encourage you to work your hardest and slog away until you reach your goals.
9. “Don’t Limit Yourself”
Remarkably successful founders typically have a few common features, one of which is an ability to dream big. They don’t want to build a company for a few people to benefit; they want to disrupt the status quo and change the world. That’s the mentality your backer should encourage you to have as you push yourself in new career directions.
10. “Giving Up Is Not An Option”
Ever.
11. “Try, Try Again”
Sometimes it gets easier. Often, it doesn’t. But guess what? You’ll keep trying no matter what – and your mentor will be an email or a phone call away, making sure that you’re giving it your all, day in, day out.