3 Reasons Why It’s Awesome To Have Haters

There’s nothing fun at first glance about having someone biting at your heels or actively hating on what you’re doing. I know my confidence disappears fast when I start seeing others speaking out against me and what I stand for. Sometimes even one negative voice can drown out hundreds of supportive ones.

When my haters start to appear and I start to doubt myself, I remember that active haters are proof that what I’m doing is working. Just like how in physics every action has an equal and opposite reaction, taking a stand in a clear and effective way naturally energizes those who would disagree. Basically, “if you don’t have any haters, you’re doing it wrong.”

Haters are like mosquitoes – they’re annoying and won’t leave you alone, and they also serve a critical role in the natural life cycle. When your haters start to rise up and you start to feel “less than,” keep in mind these three reasons why it’s good to have haters.

Reason #1 – Haters keep you honest

Renowned television writer Aaron Sorkin said in his show Sports Night, “If you’re dumb, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. If you’re smart, surround yourself with people who disagree with you.” This works on so many levels.

To grow as a leader and a person, you need information you don’t already have. Surrounding yourself with “yes men” (and women) does nothing but stroke your ego and give yourself comfort that what you’re doing is “right.” You must hear both the positive and the negative feedback to know how best to move forward.

Haters are passionate about telling you where they think you’re messing up. They help you cut through wondering what you might be missing and they give it to you straight. You don’t have to accept everything your haters say – in fact it’s unhealthy to do that anyway – but do keep your ears open for valuable feedback that might help you be a more effective leader to more people.

Reason #2 – Haters are often future fans

One time when I was a young kid I was throwing a nasty tantrum at my father. He was on my case about something I messed up or didn’t do, and I said he wouldn’t be like this to me if he loved me. He told me the opposite of love isn’t anger or hate, it’s apathy. He cared enough to push me, even when I fought back, because he wanted the best for me and he knew I could get there with his guidance.

Of course, he was right. The discipline he taught me helped me become the man I am today, and I’m very grateful to him for it. Even though I was definitely a “hater” of his during this fight, I’m a big fan today. He cared enough to fight through the tough times, and I cared enough to listen to what I didn’t want to hear.

Your haters are throwing a tantrum at you right now. They may be hearing the advice they need but don’t want to hear, and it’s getting under their skin. This also means they’re likely to be your raving fans once they make their transition with your guidance and love what they find on the other side. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t be speaking up at all. Stay with them and you may just have your strongest supporters.

Reason #3 – Haters give you authority

Having haters means people care about what you’re doing and saying enough to do and say something themselves. When you shoot down the middle of the mainstream so that you don’t ruffle any feathers, people often don’t even notice you’re there. When your message inspires haters into action, you know you’re touching a nerve.

Even though they’re arguing against you, your haters are using your message to create a message of their own. They’re experiencing a rise in status through what they share, all based on your original material. They’ve used you as a source, and that gives you authority.

Think about when you look at online reviews for a product or service – do you just read the good reviews or do you check out the bad ones too? I will not trust any product that doesn’t have any negative reviews, because I don’t believe it’s true. Having haters helps give you credibility that you stand by your message and you’re not afraid of disagreement.

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