Give everyone the benefit of the doubt

Oliver Wendell Homes was right when he wrote…

Alas for those that never sing,But die with all their music in them.

Thoreau wrote…

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.

To see evidence of what these men wrote you only need to peruse the comments of any YouTube video or 30 seconds of Twitter. The hate, the lashing out, the attacks border on criminal.

If you’ve been in business more than a few weeks you, too, have probably had your work attacked or criticized or both by some faceless, bodiless orb hiding behind their computer screen or phone because they’re afraid to say these things to your face.

While there is always a hint of truth in the attacks—maybe your product or service is lacking in key areas—when you are vehemently assaulted by someone online or over the phone, give the whiner—ah, the, ah critic—the benefit of the doubt.

Something in your offering set them off. It was the last straw. It was the final block in their Jenga® puzzle of a life that pushed them over the edge and you are the fortunate recipient of their diatribe.

I say fortunate because it is only in moments of extreme pressure do we discover the limits of our abilities. 

It is also fortunate because this person living their miserable life is providing insight that—if you listen to it—can help you improve either what you offer or how you present, market, and sell it.

But this is hard.

My natural tendency is to fight fire not with fire, but the fire of 1,000 suns.

And from time to time I am still provoked into trading barbs, but it is much less frequent and much less intense than just five years ago, thank the Good Lord above.

So starting today, give your naysayers the benefit of the doubt. Hear them out. Listen. Let them get it all off of their chest and see what you learn about how some in the world view you and what you do.

Sure, there will be a small percentage that you’ll just need to refund and block, but those are rare if you’re running a good, honest business, which I know you are because you’re reading this. 

If you need a reprieve from the desperate non-singers, check this out…

Market like you mean it.Now go sell something.