Sometimes it’s better to just sit back and survey the situation. If you choose your words carefully, people will pay more attention to what you don’t say than what you do. And then when you talk, your words will mean more.
I haven’t followed professional wrestling for something like 15 years, but I was a huge fan during the ’80s and ’90s. After growing up among kitschy gimmicks like the Mighty Kamala and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, I got pulled into the “extreme” scene of ECW. At the time, I thought that Vince McMahon was just another commentator. Little did I know he actually ran the joint at the WWF (now WWE).
When he started to get more involved in the storylines, I figured he was only playing the character of a ruthless egomaniac. But they say your best acting performances usually reflect something that was already inside you. And you can’t deny the incredible vision and business acumen of the WWE Chairman and CEO.
Speaking of guys with big personalities and full-bodied egos, I’m about halfway through the book No Is a Four-Letter Word by Chris Jericho. In it, he outlines 20 key lessons for success that he has learned from associates, celebrities and fictional characters alike. At one point, he recounts a conversation he had with Vince McMahon.
Considering that such a big part of professional wrestling is boasting larger-than-life attitude and over-the-top bravado, it’s fascinating that Vince McMahon is a man who appreciates and values silence. Listen to what others have to say and choose your words carefully. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau feels the same way.
Of course, there are times when you need to speak up, but there are also times when you should keep your mouth shut.
In the book, Chris Jericho also notes that Vince McMahon would never ask you to do something he wasn’t willing to do himself. Despite not being a professional wrestler himself, Mr. McMahon has taken his fair share of “bumps” over the years. Like that time he won the WWF Championship (warning: the match gets quite graphic) and he got busted wide open.
Say what you might about his enormous ego and cutthroat business practices; Vince McMahon is undeniably a man to be respected, even if you don’t exactly like him as an individual. He’s always willing to put his money where his mouth is. (Remember the XFL? It’s coming back in 2020.) And he knows as well as anyone that you don’t need to be the loudest guy in the room to do it.
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