What Complain, Compare, and Critique Posts Tell Your Audience
You're underwear is showing
I was raised to never complain publicly about colleagues or coworkers, especially not competitors.
It’s professionally destructive in more ways than you might think and perpetuates procrastination because of the weird dopamine hit these posts provide.
These kinds of posts, which tend to create dogpile comments of agreement, are what I’m talking about:
“I won’t say the name of the coach, but they’re unethical, shallow, and I bet the back of their fridge is a nightmare. Run away from them as fast as you can!” [If you’re going to take to Facebook about it, why not name them? That’s like telling a fellow hiker, “Oh, BTW there’s a dangerous animal up ahead waiting to ambush you about your car’s extended warranty, but I’m not going to tell you what kind or where it’s hiding.” Huh?!]
Have you seen X’s marketing? My God, what a mess. Eeeww, what are they thinking?! I would never… [these usually involve coaches who market with varying levels of their lady bits exposed or coaches who teach what we don’t or teach in ways we don’t like]
“I just had the worst experience with or got an email from - insert competitor, colleague, or disgruntled customer or client - here. You wouldn’t believe…” [These are usually by people who should be working on their own business but would rather complain about some jackass instead]
Ms. or Mr. Content Hack is copying my work! I did it, wrote it, developed it, pioneered it, pitched it FIRST! [This one is the worst - I hate when I think these things, and I feel so sad when I see accomplished people wasting their time on this kind of nonsense]
I’m guilty of doing all of these at one time or another however they have a really shitty effect on your audience that I’m guessing you don’t want.
These posts tell the audience:
You care enough to warn them about danger, but not in a way that you can actually avoid it.
Loudly shout in neon letters all your insecure, jealous, and petty thinking.
Broadcast that your complaints are your business not growing are self-inflicted because we see how you’re structuring your day.
Announce that you’re willing to trash people publicly if you get crossways with them.
Say you’re a one-trick pony who can’t develop anything new, so someone “stealing” is a huge ass deal.
Tell everyone you have too much damn time on your hands.
And look, here I am spending my time calling this out!
Listen, I’m a Projector with a Gemini Moon and a Scorpio Sun - I’m the fucking Queen of Petty Smack Talk.
Here’s why I’m bringing it up - the coaching industry is filled with people who never got decent mentoring.
They didn’t get the training on how to be a professional, why these things matter because of what they say about you, and how to spot the difference between people who are truly successful and, therefore, too busy living the dream to get into these weeds and those who are playing High School Entrepreneur on social media.
Break room gossip doesn’t belong in your thoughts, much less your feed.
Comparisonitis posts hurt my heart because I know you’re in terrible pain when you write that shit.
You did it first, okay? Then do it again, and this time, make it even better! Smash the copycats with dazzling creativity that will make them think twice about swiping your stuff ever again.
And look, I don’t want to see other people’s lady bits flippity-flopping all over the place in posts about their courses or ads about sales funnels either, but that’s why the scroll function exists.
I’m inviting all of us to pause before posting.
As you’re smashing the hell out of your poor keyboard, ask yourself these questions:
What’s my motivation here?
What am I hoping to get - sympathy? Validation? A soothing balm for my raging insecurities?
Is this the best use of my energy right now?
Is jealousy pointing me toward untapped potential in myself?
What could I be doing instead?
Am I avoiding my own work by paying attention to her/him/them instead?
This energy is CREATING MY TOMORROW - is that what I want more of FFS?
What do you think?
Is there a purpose for or benefit to those posts I don’t see?
Spill the tea on yourself, lol, and y’all…let’s do better for everyone’s sake.
XO,
LMW
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