Sequential Sights

01/27/2024

📽 Dead Poets Society

01/21/2024

12/17/2023

Last December in Hawaii. This picture is the first page of my latest book. The End Sends Advance Warning.

J. Thanks for taking me here!
press shot on a Leica SL2

12/17/2023

Almost 9 years ago, I had the honor of being an on-air commentator on CNN. It was one of the most challenging and intellectually stimulating jobs I’ve ever had.

You want to know what the hardest part was? It was dealing with all of the comments and criticism people hurled at me online. If someone didn’t like my opinion or my legal analysis of some issue, the trash talk was brutal.

“Your neck is saggy just like your opinions.”

“You should go back to the hole you crawled out of.”

“Why is someone so ugly on television?”

“How does a moron like you have a law degree?”

For the first year, this criticism was devastating. It made me second guess myself and it made me nervous when the cameras were rolling and I was about to talk… and it made me wear a lot of high-neck blouses to hide my saggy neck.

I don’t remember how I had this breakthrough or who I have to credit for it, I just know at some point I made this switch in my mind and everything changed…

If I didn’t want to trade my life with someone who had nothing better to do than to sound off insults on Twitter while they watched TV, why the f*ck do I care what they think?! 🤯

This same mindset applies to the people that criticize you in real life.

If the person doesn’t have what you want in life, why are you listening to their opinion? Most people can’t even cheer themselves on, which is why they’re having a hard time cheering you on.

Look for people who are living the kind of life or building the kind of company or creating the kind of relationship that YOU want.

Those are the people whose opinions you should trust. Everyone else is entitled to their opinion but you shouldn’t listen to it.