Wil Reynolds Wil Reynolds

January 16, 2009

If you get happy when others fail – you lose NOT THEM!

Non-SEO related post coming…

So while writing a different blog post I got inspired to write another one…

Look at this video of Blendtec blenders

At about 1:37 the Blendtech CEO Tom Dickson experiences some problems blending a RAKE! Notice someone in the crowd says GET THIS UP ON YouTube TODAY, you gotta get [XYZ's laptop now]…this is [not understandable but sounded like great or crazy].”

Everyone strive to NEVER be this GUY in life. NEVER! If you are you will fail.

A blender that is made to chop fruit, onions, ice, and make drinks that give us morning headaches and the CEO is willing to stick a wooden rake in it and it blends 85% of the rake before it jams, thats pretty successful, my blender has a hard time with frozen fruit.

A hater is thinking GET THIS UP ON YouTube! When they should be thinking:

  • This blender has devoured 85% of a rake BEFORE it jammed, I am never going to stick a rake in my blender, this is an amazing product.
  • How can I someday build something that is as remarkable

    • Instead the idea is get this up on YouTube? Really? Are you kidding me?

    Well I bet no one is paying you to keynote are they?

    I bet you don’t have as much fun at your job as the CEO Tom Dickson – he gets to blend Chuck Norris’s enemies at his job…I can’t get paid to do that!

    Haters will produce videos of one time when this product devoured only 85% of a rake, that is NOT a failure to me, given how the product is used in the real world. It’s not that he recorded it, but it the excitement I hear in this haters voice that he got a YouTube video out of it.

    Here’s my advice to everyone, build something that is so great that people pay you to speak about it, that’s remarkable, then you won’t have time to record videos of other great people’s miscues and occasional failures. Your 2 minutes and 44 seconds of fame are over…Tom’s are continuing – he just keynoted at Pubcon a few months ago. Blend that!

    People doing great things out there, practice for the haters, so that when someone disrupts you or thrives on your miscues you are prepared. I was pretty prepared here, every time I look at this video I don’t know how I was cool enough under pressure to not trip and stumble over my words – when I got grilled, I am not sure that Jason is hating here so much as he’s trying to ask useful questions, but I felt a twinge of “I’m going to expose you on stage” in the line of questions.

    I expose people all the time, but only when they are doing something blatantly wrong or giving bad advice that will hurt someone’s SEO efforts, so I think there are times to expose people – but getting excited at the opportunity to disprove someone just for the sake of discrediting them is whack! Happy Friday!

    9 COMMENTS

    • Jim Kukral says:
      January 16, 2009 @ 1:57 pm

      I couldn’t agree more Wil. Great message.

    • Jordan Epstein says:
      January 16, 2009 @ 3:07 pm

      I love it! Reminded me of my favorite bit of Eastern Philosophy. From the Yoga Sutras on how to remain peaceful:

      1. Be joyous to those who are happy. (Not jealous)
      2. Be compassionate to those who suffer misfortune. (Don’t hate or elevate yourself by comparing your condition to theirs)
      3. Get delight out of the virtuous (Don’t try to bring people down)
      4. Be accepting and indifferent to the wicked (Don’t waste your energy trying to take the burden of fixing someone else’s mistakes. Be reactive, but don’t take responsibility. You will often get caught up in argument…etc.)

      Righton.

    • ms danielle says:
      January 16, 2009 @ 3:22 pm

      sometimes we have the instincts to be that guy, and it takes great strength just to not slip up and be him. it’s in that moment that we’re tested… thanks for the great article! and for reminding us that great character can reap great rewards.

      also, glad you posted the vid. i remember being at that session! :)

    • Tricia Meyer says:
      January 16, 2009 @ 3:36 pm

      I love this post! I’m so glad that I stumbled upon your presentation at ASW. Not only are you great at what you do, but your attitude about life in general is awesome. Consider me part follower and part stalker now. LOL!

    • Cathy Stucker says:
      January 16, 2009 @ 6:27 pm

      Great post, Wil. Playing a constant game of “gotcha” is unproductive and leads to bad karma. Like Mom always said, “If you can’t say something nice…” ;o)

      Enjoyed your presentation at ASW09. You were, as always, informative and inspiring.

    • wil says:
      January 17, 2009 @ 3:12 pm

      @jim – thx

      @jordan – love the additions, good word to live by

      @danielle – missed you at ASW! I think we all have to keep that part of us in check, you got it right it is in those moments where we are tested, how we react is what separates us. I’ll admit when a competitor goes under I get that yeah feeling, but then its immediately followed up by a sad feeling for the employees of those companies, UNLESS the company was a shady shill of an outfit.

      @tricia – glad you liked it. I need stalkers, glad to have you around!

      @cathy – always good seeing you and fellow HS’s

    • Tom - Team NED says:
      January 19, 2009 @ 8:43 pm

      Great post!

      I do need to get a new blender. You may of got this guy a sale! =)

    • Alan Underkofler says:
      January 20, 2009 @ 3:59 pm

      Hi Wil!

      Great presentation at Affiliate Summit West! Really enjoyed your perspective and this post is fantastic! Thanks!

    • wil says:
      January 20, 2009 @ 5:15 pm

      @tom – I think he’ll appreciate that

      @alan – Thank you! I had a blast myself.

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