Some are newsletters from people I mentor with or I am in a coaching group with. Others are newsletters from other martial artists or businessmen like myself who have products and services available on the Internet.
Some are from students that I teach; my Webmaster and I are talking more each day and of course, my wife, who is more comfortable e-mailing from work than talking on the phone.
That leaves the last type of e-mails, which are becoming my favorite.
The Nastygrams. The Complainers. The Challengers. The Who-Do-You-Think-You Are'ers.
Yes, as the business and success has grown, so have the detractors.
After yesterday's e-mail on the Principle of the Circle, I got a reply this guy wanted to meet me in sparring.
Huh.
A while ago, I would have reacted negatively. I would have gotten defensive and started to ask myself things like what did I say, who does this guy think he is, I'll meet him and show him a thing or to, blah-blah-blah.
All which would have been crap, completely useless and a waste of my time.
Then I got to thinking. And I said to myself, "Grandma taught me what to do when this happens." Here's a story that explains it perfectly.
I read a story yesterday that was in Sports Illustrated about Julius Jones, the running back for Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys.
Julius said that he had flunked out of college and had to transfer to a Junior College to get his grades up. He said it was the most humiliating experience of his life and he said to himself, "I can either cry about this or be a man, learn from it and grow."
He got his grades up, made it back to Division I-A football and now plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
He talked about how tough it is playing for Bill Parcells and how he pushes you. He talked about a play where he popped a rib out, his shoulder and upper back went numb and he couldn't breathe.
He pulled himself out of the game and Coach Parcells looked at him and said, "What's wrong?" to which Julius replied, "Coach, I can't breathe."
He said Parcells looked him in the eye and said, "Yes you can. Get back out there." Julius ran back out on the field for a play or two, none of which were called for him to carry the ball or catch, and then Parcells pulled him.
He said that he was pretty mad when it happened, but then he figured out that the Coach was testing him to see how he would handle it. Would he get mad, rebel, play harder or what.
Just like when he flunked out of school, Julius took a situation and turned it around to his benefit. He didn't let it bother him or derail him from what he was going after. He used it as fuel and poured it on his fire for the goal he was after.
Just like the e-mail I mentioned earlier. I didn't get mad; I got excited. I want to write more e-mails that get you fired up.
I want tons of Nastygrams. Because for every one nastygram I get, I get ten positive e-mails telling me how much they like Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I, which is available at http://www.shaolinsecrets.com, can't wait for Volume II and any other product I may come up with.
When it comes to challenges or negativity, do like Grandma used to tell you...take lemons and make it into lemonade.
You'll be surprised to find out how much lemonade you seem to always have around.
Best,
William Huff
P.S. - Your Grandma probably read romance novels, but if she was into the martial arts, she would have had to have a copy of Secrets of the Shaolin Temple Volume I. My Granny bought any book that had the word "Secrets" in the title. She always assumed it had to be a romance novel. In Granny's memory, get over to http://www.shaolinsecrets.com and get a copy if you haven't gotten one already.