One Of The Hardest Lessons I've Had To Learn...

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve prided myself on the “Everyone Loves Marshall” identity I built for myself. Whether or not that’s been true (which, btw, I guarantee is NOT true) I have lived most of my life in an effort to be well-liked by as many people as possible.

Somewhere deep in my subconscious, I knew that if I was going to do anything of consequence in this lifetime, that identity would have to be broken. I can’t think of a single person in history that made a difference in this world that was beloved by all.

The truth is, if you take a stand for anything, someone (many people in fact) will take a stand against it. Doesn’t matter what the topic.

With the launch of Spartan Artists, I’ve been running Facebook ads to attract artists and creatives to take my “Creatives Success Blocker” quiz. I’ve had nearly 1,000 people take it and sign up for my email list where I provide free content weekly to help in their creative journey.

As I start to hit critical mass, the haters and trolls are emerging. “How dare you take advantage of starving artists!” they scream. “Don’t ever email again!” It’s amazing to see the amount of anger being directed my way.

And it’s not just on my ads. I’ve started helping my girlfriend film Facebook videos for her “Just For Fun” page that get millions of views. But not a single video gets released without literally hundreds of terrible, hateful comments. Observing this over the past few months helped me realize a simple truth.

Some people just want to be angry.

And there’s nothing you can do about it. You can argue ‘til you’re blue in the face, present all sorts of rational logic, and even plead with them from the depths of your heart. It doesn’t matter. When someone wants to be angry, they just want to be angry.

Letting this truth sink in helps me detach from the accusations that come my way. Sometimes I respond, and when I do, I seek to understand and speak with kindness. However, I’m careful not to over-engage because quite simply, it’s not worth it. I’m not changing anyone’s mind.

Now I look at these haters and think, “Hmm, I must be onto something!”

I’m letting go of my fool’s quest to get everyone to like me. I’m just gonna focus on speaking my mind with the intent to help and entertain. So long as I respond with empathy and integrity, I’ll know I’m living up to my own standards.

And frankly, the only standards that really matter are your own.