Well, actually we don’t really know WHAT was in the beginning, do we?
Unless you were there – and I’m pretty sure you weren’t – neither of us REALLY knows, do we?
But there are all kinds of good stories and mythology that attempt to explain it.
One of the more popular ones is this:
A supreme being SPOKE everything into existence.
He said, “let there be”…
…and there was.
Good analogy about the power of your word.
Ya know, it has only been the past couple years that I’ve finally come to realize the power of MY word.
You see, a word from me can change a person’s life.
It can take him or her from toiling in obscurity, stuck in a no-future existence…
…to relative wealth and “fame” in this little world of ours.
In fact, that’s EXACTLY what I’ve done over the past several years for a handful of people.
You’d think that would result in someone’s eternal gratitude and allegiance, wouldn’t you?
In most cases, quite the opposite.
Here’s how I’ve ACTUALLY been “rewarded”:
- I’ve been sabotaged, undermined and outright betrayed. Dirty things have been done and said behind my back to make sure my protégé gets the best deal… while I get the short end of the stick…
- Money owed me was never paid. Or if it was paid, it was MONTHS late. (In spite of the fact that I always paid THEM on time, month after month.)
- I’ve been tossed aside like an old shoe… because SURELY the protégé is smarter than me. (Of course this is always done AFTER they use me to leverage my contacts and my influence to get what they want.)
- I’ve been disrespected, disparaged and blatantly resented… simply because my protégé discovered that I’m a flawed and fallible human being… just like everybody else…
- They brag to the world about me being in THEIR membership program… and use MY name, MY reputation and MY credibility to promote themselves and their monthly membership deal. Yet they don’t join MY program… the Marketing Camelot. (Of COURSE they’re too smart and “advanced” to continue learning from little old me. Just ask them.)
- Even though their arrogance, lack of maturity and lack of respect for those whose shoulders they’re standing on has proven that they aren’t ready to be promoted to the position my endorsement has elevated them to, they expect me to continue singing their praises.
And that’s just a partial list.
Ya know what they say…
No good deed goes unpunished.
This explains why I’m now SUPER careful about the people I recommend or promote… or with whom I partner up with.
Hey, crazy idea… but here’s something to consider:
If a supreme being actually did create everything with his word… surely he can destroy everything with his word, too.
So if MY word and endorsement can elevate someone to a much higher station in life…
…you’d have to be an incredibly naïve and arrogant narcissistic moron to not believe that a word from me could also DESTROY them…
…and return them to the life of obscurity they wallowed in before I took favor upon them.
“But gee, Doberman Dan. You’re such a nice guy. You wouldn’t do something like that, would you?”
Yes I would.
And I have.
(One day soon, I’ll tell you about my ex-partner. He, too, became arrogant and thought he could do no wrong. That was 21 years ago. And I’m happy to report that he’s STILL locked up in prison.)
In addition, I’ve had the master, Gary Halbert, personally walk me through his brutally effective system for destroying someone… practically overnight.
In fact, I was right by his side when, using this system, he took down one of the biggest players in direct mail and newspaper and magazine space ads.
The dude had a fast-growing 8-figure business… mostly thanks to the copy Gary wrote for him.
But he got too big for his britches… and he disrespected the person who got him to where he was.
So he decided he didn’t need to keep paying Gary’s royalties.
One day he was the hot new up and coming “boy wonder.”
Ten days later, the dude was ruined.
Financially… and worse.
His reputation was destroyed.
That was 12 years ago and he has NEVER recovered.
He STILL lives in obscurity. And only a few of us grizzled veterans even remember his name.
What causes people to turn on those most important to their own success?
Good question.
You see, narcissists have a deep need for admiration. They also lack of empathy for others… including the people most responsible for their success.
(BTW, why is there an epidemic of narcissism amongst Millennials?)
But behind their mask of ultra-confidence lies a highly fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
And they’re neither teachable nor coachable.
You see, they always have to try to inflate their sagging ego by doing whatever it takes to make themselves look like the smartest person in the room.
Which tells me two things:
- They’re compensating for something. Most likely insecurity/self worth issues. Or a small Johnson. (Or both.)
- They live in constant fear.
I wish I’d been aware of these things BEFORE I took these guys under my wing.
The Colombiana warned me specifically about one of them at an event in Florida this past year.
My reaction was, “You’re loca, woman. [Name redacted] wouldn’t ever turn against me. Look at all I’ve done for him.”
Long story short?
She was right and I was wrong.
Narcissists and sociopaths are really good at deceiving people in order to manipulate and get what they want.
After that, no matter how hard they try, they can’t disguise their true nature.
Gradually, they alienate everyone around them.
Then they wonder why nobody wants anything to do with them.
Sad really.
But what’s even sadder is that those few folks who most need to hear this message will most likely be completely blind to it.
They think I’m talking about someone else.
They can’t see that all their people problems….
…their awkwardness in social situations…
… all their work-related relationship problems…
… and all the stuff they think is someone else’s fault…
…the REAL problem is staring at them in the mirror.
But they’ll never see it.
It pains me to see them single handedly destroy their own reputation, all their work relationships and opportunities… and alienate everybody around them.
I’ve seen this scenario play out before. And it does NOT end well for most of them.
Sad really.
Especially because this little marketing world of ours is not very big. (And we ALL talk.)
Once word starts getting out that you’re a narcissistic pain in the ass, your opportunities get exponentially fewer with each passing month.
So if they think they’re riding high now… their time’s comin’ for a serious humbling.
And that can be temporary or permanent.
Sadly, through their own choices, most will be humbled permanently.
Because you can be the best [blank] in the world, but if you’re an arrogant, narcissistic asshole… NOBODY is gonna work with you.
Trust me when I say that I’ve seen that first hand.
A truly world class copywriter I known has been shunned by the entire direct marketing community and can barely scrape by and pay his bills now.
He only occasionally gets gigs every now and then.
Usually at 80% to 90% less than the fees he USED to command. Simply because he’s an arrogant dick-head who doesn’t play nice with others.
The lesson?
You better be nice to your mentors and the other people you meet on your way up.
Cuz you’ll probably need to beg gigs from them on your way back down.
All the best,
Doberman Dan
P.S. Getting stabbed in the back sucks.
I never thought I could EVER experience the emotional trauma again like I experienced with the betrayal of my starter wife.
BUT… it hurt just as bad, if not worse, when a couple my protégés did it, too.
So be VERY careful whom you mentor.
And if you’ve worked really hard to establish a branding and reputation in your niche, be VERY careful of whom you partner up with and whom you promote.
P.P.S. I’ve experienced a lot of betrayal in my life…
My father…
My first wife…
My partner on the police department (the one still in prison for a “for hire” double homicide)…
And now a couple protégés…
It hurts, man.
So I, of all people, understand loyalty.
And I’m FIERCELY loyal to the knights in my Marketing Camelot.
Click here and find out what it means to FINALLY have a relationship in your life with someone who will remain FAITHFUL to you… month after month.
Pax vobiscum.
