If people hate you, you’re probably taking care of yourself

The interesting thing about expressing joy and ambition and vulnerability and earnestness is, it intimidates some people. 

It grosses them out. It triggers resentment. There’s just a certain population of the world that doesn’t want to hear about our happiness and enlightenment. 

It’s like we’re holding a massive candle to their face, just so their darkness looked more pitch black in comparison. 

Which we’re not, of course. It’s all just a projection. People are seeing in us what is not operating well within them. 

It reminds me of a motivating soliloquy from the only book on architecture in my library. Roark’s mentor reveals to him:

There’s one thing about you that people are afraid of. It’s not just the kind of work you do. You love your work. God help you, you love it. And that’s the curse. It’s the brand on your forehead for all of them to see. You love it, and they know it, and they know they have you. The people in the street, the substance of them is hatred for any man who loves his work. And you’re opening yourself up for each and every one of them. 

My experience with wearing a nametag every day for nineteen years has taught me this lesson many times over. Turns out, certain people are quite bothered by my sticker. It annoys and offends and even enrages them. 

You wouldn’t believe it, but complete strangers will march right up to me and rip the nametag off my shirt. It’s strangest thing. Who knew that all it took was some innocent little issue like a nametag to bring people’s simmering resentments to the surface? 

But that’s the price we pay in this world when we do anything from a place of joy and earnestness and hopefulness. It’s seen as threatening because it’s indictment of people’s cynicism. 

The key is not to take it personally. 

Because if people hate you, you’re probably taking care of yourself. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

What’s your favorite defense mechanism against the perceived perils of kindness?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.  

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

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