I was called retarded when I was six years old and was placed with the other “special” kids— some sweetest kids.
Ms. Gore, my teacher, would grab my pudgy cheeks and exclaim, “You’re so cute!”
I didn’t speak English, so adults would yell LOUDER at me as if a higher volume would help me understand the words better.
I felt so ashamed that I vowed right then to speak English better than most other Americans— even though I was born in Dayton, Ohio.
A few years later, in 1988, I represented California in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.
And I became a public speaker on stages across the world.
Yet even today, someone talked down to me in ALL CAPS AND BOLD in an email, treating me like an idiot, just like Ms. Gore 40 years ago.
That hurt, opening up an old wound.
And I remember how so many people are arrogantly ignorant, like a guy farting up a storm and his sense of smell not working.
He confidently struts into every room, farting all over people, not realizing the calamity he’s causing.
Some people might think the moral of the story is to make sure you’re right before flexing your biceps.
But I think it goes deeper than the Dunning-Kruger Effect (a powerful concept that explains confident idiots and humble experts).
Instead, it’s about empathy to help others grow, no matter where they are.
Before you declare your opinion to others, be sure you have some credibility.
Therefore, make sure you are reliable and helpful before sharing your viewpoint with others, as you will have some credibility.
Credibility comes from advising on a matter you repeatedly have experience solving.
I’m grateful for the arrogant idiots who motivated me to become better and never stop learning.
Maybe someone is a “thorn” in your life, as a sign that it’s time to level up and prove them wrong.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is the CEO of Local Service Spotlight, a platform that amplifies the reputations of contractors and local service businesses using the Content Factory process. He is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other brands.
Dennis has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs by partnering with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Through Local Service Spotlight, he teaches the Dollar a Day strategy and Content Factory training to help local service businesses enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring.
Dennis coaches young adult agency owners serving plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians, and believes there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers must be certified.