One of my favorite documentaries is called “A Football Life – Mike Ditka” about the legendary — and my all-time favorite sports coach — Mike Ditka.
Entire volumes of business books can be mined from this short video.
Especially when it comes to handling trolls, critics, haters, etc.
For example:
The documentary shows footage of Ditka talking about his critics. The man had tons of critics, haters, trolls, and others with axes to grind when he was coaching the Bears. And I’ve never seen anyone handle hostile reporters or put the sports media Maynards in their place like him.
In fact, here’s what he said about his so-called media critics:
“Media’s fickle. You’re a hero today, you’re a bum tomorrow. Took me a while to figure it out but once I did I treated them all the same. Like dirt.”
There is a lifetime of wisdom in this.
Far too many people are far too timid in their emails due to “critics.”
Instead of ignoring them or, even better, trolling them back… they appease them, put them on pedestals, care far too much what they think, and, as a result, hold themselves back.
“Oh noes! What will my Facebook friends say about me if I send this to my list?”
Who cares?
Let ‘em weep & gnash their teeth, maybe they’ll learn something.
Obviously, you can do whatever you want in these circumstances.
But, I can tell you what Ditka would say and did say in the documentary:
“You’re going to have your critics. Screw ‘em.”
I don’t know if this adds anything to your life. But, maybe someone needed to hear it. If, for no other reason, than to give themselves permission to stop being such a pansy, write that email they want to use to sell their product, and try to make some sales instead of spending all that time pandering to people who don’t like or respect them anyway.
If you want help with the writing part, that’s where I can help.
Specifically, in my “Email Players” newsletter.
Details here:
Ben Settle
