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Leadership

How to deal with anonymous haters.

Leadership August 8, 2012 • Comments

A few weeks ago, a friend texted me, “I’m so sorry about what that guy said about you online. Don’t let it get you down.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I looked up the comment he was referring to. Someone had written a long diatribe against me, my writing, my choice of life decisions, places I vacation, my preference of tangelos instead of tangerines, etc. At one point, they compared me to Kim Kardashian. (Obviously, the similarities between she and I are endless, and it would be insulting to your intelligence for me to point them out.)

The comment was pretty stunning and concluded with a promise from this person to actively campaign against the future sale of my books. I’m not sure if he’d make up stickers and buttons, but he’d definitely tell his friend group, “Don’t buy that Jon Acuff’s books, he’s a lot like Kim Kardashian.”

Just when I was thinking about getting upset about the vitriol, I remembered a rule someone once told me about hate mail:

“Hate mail signed by no one is from nobody.”

And this particular hate was anonymous. Therefore, it was from nobody and you should never let a nobody make you feel like less of a somebody.

You might never get compared to Kim Kardashian. But, at some point, someone in your online adventures might anonymously throw a rock at you.

Don’t let it land.

Hate mail signed by no one is from nobody.

And nobodies don’t really matter.

Question:
Have you ever run into criticism online?

The power of perception.

Leadership/ Quitter June 13, 2012 • Comments

I’ve confessed before that I’m not a “glass is half empty” kind of guy. I’m a “glass is half empty and the part that is full is full of scorpions,” kind of guy.

Part of the reason I think that way is that people have often told me silly, empty little platitudes like “Turn a frown upside down!” Or “Let your smile be your umbrella.” And I feel like those cheesy, “go get em’ tiger!” sayings can’t possibly be true. Attitude and perception aren’t that important are they?

I didn’t think so until I met a 22-year-old college senior named Santiago who really challenged me. (He’s the same guy that inspired me to start seriously thinking about the importance of mobile apps.) One night at dinner I told him I’d been reading about how high unemployment was for college students. Some studies say that it’s the highest it’s been since World War II. Up to 20% of all college grads don’t have jobs.

Santiago smiled when I told him this and then replied,

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The 5 step secret to getting it all done.

Leadership June 6, 2012 • Comments

I’m just like you.

I’m busy. There are hundreds of things I need to cross off my to-do list each day. Respond to emails. Attend meetings. Return phone calls. Answer text messages. Pick up the kids from gymnastics and art. Finish work projects. Start home projects.

Recently, I realized my list was getting longer, and my days felt like they were getting shorter.

In order to survive, I came up with a 5-step secret to getting it all done. If you’re busy too, feel free to use it:

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142 words of thank you.

Leadership/ Random May 28, 2012 • Comments

There are some days, when my job feels tough.

Days when whatever it is that I am required to do feels hard or stressful or above my capabilities.

On those days, may I forever remember the picture of my grandfather, Clifford Eugene Acuff, that is hanging in the hall of my parents’ house.

He is smiling.

He is brave.

He is headed to the front.

I got to do things like go to college because my grandfather did things like fight the Nazis.

I got to do things like blog openly about my ideas because my grandfather did things like get into a tank.

I got to enjoy a thousand freedoms at 18 because my grandfather withstood a thousand enemy bullets on a battlefield at 18.

For the grandfathers whose photos hang in your hallways and the grandchildren who continue to sacrifice, thank you.

Are you ready for the next Internet?

Leadership/ Social Media May 11, 2012 • Comments

Two weeks ago, my friend Santiago told me something shocking.

He said, “In June of 2011, people spent more time using their mobile apps than they did their desktop browsers.”

This was the first time that had ever happened, but it’s not that surprising. That same month, combined sales of smartphones and tablets were greater than the sales of desktops and notebooks for the first time ever.

That’s not really shocking information. The idea that people use apps a lot won’t knock you over. Small surprise. Thousands of articles have predicted this. What is shocking, though, is how many people missed the arrival of the next Internet.

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