Many men of greatness are assailed by a critic who delights in flinging spiteful arrows and revels at crushing others’ dreams in a fusillade of negativity. The doom-sayer derives pleasure in the despair and disappointment of another. “Be realistic,” “that will never work,” and a sarcastic “dream on” are the never-ending mantras of their doubt. But a man of greatness is not discouraged. “A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do,” said author Walter Gagehot. Indeed, a man of greatness adopts the mindset that, if someone says he cannot, then he must. This is the proper mindset for ultimate success.
Lead singer David Lee Roth of Van Halen and solo career fame delighted in confounding his critics. He was criticized for being too short, too obnoxious, too derivative and too flashy. By his own admission he couldn’t sing or read music, he used martial arts kicks in lieu of dance moves, and he made off-beat cover tune choices and bizarre attire and behavior decisions. At every turn, he was told he couldn’t, wouldn’t and shouldn’t succeed, even after he was successful by any standard. So how did he wind up fronting one of the most popular and best-selling Hall of Fame rock bands of all time?
Roth made a deliberate choice to defy convention. He made choices based on his preferences rather than what was popular or what might please someone else, such as a critic. Each time he twirled and kicked and punched and jumped on-stage, he imagined and visualized himself smashing those objections, criticisms and doubts. He derived much satisfaction from proving his detractors wrong; with each success, he confirmed that his instincts were right.
Translate “cannot” into “must;” in spite of any opposition. Be a man of greatness and let the critic wallow in despair at your good fortune!
From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
Lead singer David Lee Roth of Van Halen and solo career fame delighted in confounding his critics. He was criticized for being too short, too obnoxious, too derivative and too flashy. By his own admission he couldn’t sing or read music, he used martial arts kicks in lieu of dance moves, and he made off-beat cover tune choices and bizarre attire and behavior decisions. At every turn, he was told he couldn’t, wouldn’t and shouldn’t succeed, even after he was successful by any standard. So how did he wind up fronting one of the most popular and best-selling Hall of Fame rock bands of all time?
Roth made a deliberate choice to defy convention. He made choices based on his preferences rather than what was popular or what might please someone else, such as a critic. Each time he twirled and kicked and punched and jumped on-stage, he imagined and visualized himself smashing those objections, criticisms and doubts. He derived much satisfaction from proving his detractors wrong; with each success, he confirmed that his instincts were right.
Translate “cannot” into “must;” in spite of any opposition. Be a man of greatness and let the critic wallow in despair at your good fortune!
From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
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