This idea started after a conversation with a good friend of mine. This person is an MVP for his company. Most Valuable Player. He not only completes his job description with passion…he does more. Takes the next step. Thinks of things critically, and has the stones to take the risk of being on that proverbial limb by himself.
I respect him. I want to be just like him. His company needs 100 more of “him.”
That being said, because this person is in a high profile position (think TV appearances – No, it is not Jim Cramer.), he is also an easy target for naysayers. Negative Nellies. Those people who hold others to a standard that could only be met with 20/20 hindsight. You know the ones….they’re never happy.
No matter how hard MVPs try, it is tough to not let the criticism get to you.
Someone once told me “if you don’t have haters, you’re not a player.” True dat.
Think about it….all of the greats have haters. People that are jealous. Sports figures, CEOs, Entertainers, Musicians, Actors, etc. All of them deal with naysayers, and it seems as though the more successful they get, the louder the screams become. Some examples: Duke Basketball, New York Yankees, Notre Dame Football, Tiger Woods, Jamie Dimon, Jim Cramer, Nickelback, U2, Oprah, Howard Stern…the list goes on.
These folks have enjoyed so much success that we are FORCED to make a polarizing choice between (1)being a fan, or (2)being a hater…secretly hoping for their failure, and celebrating when it happens.
So, if you have HATERS, don’t let them get you down. In fact, CELEBRATE it! Having haters confirms that you are a player in whatever you’re doing. AND, if you don’t have any haters, I would submit that you’re not trying hard enough. You are not on the radar, so people are not forced to make a decision to be a fan, or hate on you. You want to be Notre Dame…you want to be Tom Cruise…..you WANT to be Bill O’Reilly….you want to be Bill Maher. Why? Because people are forced to have an opinion about them. People are forced to care about them – one way or another.
Lord knows, I have plenty of haters (*the line forms over there, people.*), and that’s how I KNOW I am doing the right thing. Just know that each one of you that spews negativity at me….you only make me stronger, and encourage me to push the envelope just *that* much further. Thank you for that. You’re doing me a favor.
For those MVPs that take the negativity personally, remember the immortal words of Snoop Dogg…. “Play On Playa.”
MG
