How often do you find yourself in arguments with fake accounts on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube? Will those type of engagements help you or hurt you in your run for whatever you’re trying to achieve? Social media is bone-crushing – and engaging in quarrels with people who don’t have faces is going to hurt you more than them.
Just recently I posted a very educated post on Nikkei Asia’s Facebook page and I attracted to me wife/sex tourists here in Thailand trying to defend Thai people and the culture, although I’ve been a victim of extreme racial hatred. What happens? I could ultimately lose face because just like 3 years ago, they could snapshot a photo of what I said and use it against me or my business in the future.
Also, I got another comment, around the same time, of an acquaintance I met on a plane about 8 years ago saying, “why did you unfollow me on Instagram?” Both of these messages, which I read very early in the morning, dictated about the next 15 minutes of my morning. I needed to make a quick decision and say, “ok, media purge time. Delete the comment, block the people, and lets move forward.”
Rule #1 – Social Media Can Destroy You – If You Engage In Pity Parties
Anytime you’re vying for superior status on ESPN forums, CNN/FoxNews comment sections or anything else, you’re going to attract to you others who are out to ruin your day; let alone your life. Just know that every comment can dictate the way people view you. As Tim Ferris said, “stay the hell away from the news.” Sure, if you want to create a fake account and troll everyone, you can….but what satisfaction are you getting out of calling someone 10k miles a way a bunch of adjectives? Commenting, especially on sports forums and news forums, is useless.
Rule #2 – Notice It Early & Steer Clear
After receiving sensationalistic comments in the morning, I told myself, “ok, I’m done with social media for the day.” Instagram is much better in terms of real people and surrounding yourself with people who will boost your persona; on the other hand, Facebook is troll city. Commenting on Twitter, also, is not what you want to do. I knew because I read those comments early in the morning that I could be in for a lot of trouble…consciously. So, I immediately made my grateful list and I snapped out of it by listening to Micheal Bernard Beckwith. If you don’t snap out of the funk, your day is funk.
Rule #3 – Is The News Helping You?
Honestly, what “feel-good” stories are in the news?
Go ahead.
I’m waiting.
Exactly. The news is all about clicks and it attracts what it puts out. The world is on FIRE at the moment with opinions, so the best thing to do is again….”circle of influence” vs “circle of concern.” Talk about only the things you can control and leave the trolls for the trolls. Go on a media fast. Stay away from all news and have a partner at work or home where you can rely on him/her for information. Unless there’s a nuclear bomb coming or a flash flood (Thailand – lol), you don’t need to know a damn thing!
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