If you are new to the pursuit of excellence, or are just launching upon your dream chase, or are just now responding to a calling on your life, you may need to be warned about something (or someone):

Bozos.

BozoReally, I've got nothing against Bozo the Clown. He wore his baldness with poise and managed to keep a smile upon his face despite the wardrobe he was forced to wear. Pretty admirable, any way you slice it. His name does serve as a categorization, however, for a certain type of person.

It doesn't matter how noble your calling, how amazing your talent, or how sincere your attempt, there will ALWAYS be a Bozo somewhere to criticize what you're doing. Usually, there will be several.

Bozos, you see, appreciate and grow stronger with each other's company, taking courage from their collective cowardice. Their purpose, as a lower species, is to denigrate others. They will question and criticize your ability, your talent, your motives, your heart, your character, your results, and just about anything else they can think of that you have or are attempting.

Get used to it. Realize that it's just part of the landscape of high achievement. No one, and I repeat, no one is immune from Bozo Infestation.

Exhibit A: In this video (be sure to watch it all the way through), a little eight-year-old girl sings a difficult song so well it should bring tears to the eyes of anyone even approaching the classification of a human being. And thousands of people quite appropriately clicked "like." But notice that, inexplicably, more than 2,000 people clicked "dislike." I can't imagine being in the presence of such nincompoops for even two seconds. Bozos are not above the criticism of anything, even an adorable, unbelievably gifted little girl. Just remember this the next time someone trashes you. If they can criticize little Connie Talbot, they won't have any trouble hurling their stones in your direction.

 

Like a swarm of mosquitos, Bozos will swoop in to darken your brightest shinings. Don't let them. As with mosquitos, you can swat them, ignore them, and curse them. But by far the most effective approach in dealing with Bozos is to apply an effective repellent. In the case of living your life and giving your all, this repellent consists of the following:

1. An awareness of their existence and a refusal to be shocked by such.

2. A refusal to listen to their vitriol, realizing that every great achievement is accomplished under a hail of criticism.

3. Pity for their pathetic little lives they are choosing to waste.

4. A steady focus upon your dream, your calling, and what God built you to be.

Don't ever let the Bozos get you down.

Sincerely,

Chris Brady 

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40 responses to “Don’t Ever Let the Bozos Get You Down!”

  1. Clint Fix Avatar

    Wow! She is an amazing singer. I guess some people just don’t like seeing others that are better in certain areas. Thanks for sharing!

    Like

  2. Dorothy Hendricks Avatar
    Dorothy Hendricks

    Thanks Chris! As usual another great read! I laughed and cried!! Of course! We will see you next week!!!

    Like

  3. Georgia Avatar
    Georgia

    Great post !!!

    Like

  4. Cathy - Team Rascals of Rascal Nation Avatar

    Chris,
    I love this post! Thank you for the encouragement! (And for what you said Monday in Syracuse/Liverpool . . .)
    I have someone in my life whose Bozo-ness I simply cannot escape. They are a basic part of my life, and I have to put up with them. I have tried to practice when I speak to this person to remember your tips, particularly #2. I let it go in one ear, and out the other.
    I can also add one more tip I’ve learned to use over time with my particular Bozo. It’s humor.
    Lately I’ve learned to get off the phone or away from an encounter with them, and review it in light of what I’ve learned from you, the other TEAM/LIFE leaders and the System, then reframe it in a funny way. Sometimes, depending on what is said, I don’t even need the reviewing step, because it’s just all too obvious. Either way, I tell my husband, and then our trusted friends, what happened, so we can all share the laugh.

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  5. Nick Tzekos Avatar
    Nick Tzekos

    Perfect timing!,, thank you Mr Brady

    Like

  6. Kristen Seidl Avatar

    Incredible Chris! Little Connie gave me chills. Have courage? Expect criticism. Thanks for this great post!

    Like

  7. Bob Avatar
    Bob

    A great reminder!!!
    Thanks

    Like

  8. Sean Avatar
    Sean

    Chris you should invite her to sing the national anthem at the major, or some one to sing the nation anthem at major. Get the weekend started off right

    Like

  9. Debbie Goodfellow Avatar
    Debbie Goodfellow

    As always your timing is perfect! Bozos definitely are out to get us. Your humor and wisdom is the greatest!

    Like

  10. Sean Avatar
    Sean

    Chris you should invite her to sing the national anthem at the major

    Like

  11. Leslie Avatar
    Leslie

    Hi Chris,
    Great reminder, thanks! My favorite ‘repellent’ is to be so happy in Bozo’s presence that it annoys him. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Like

  12. John Burns Avatar
    John Burns

    Thanks Chris! Bozo repellent smells a lot like success!

    Like

  13. Heidi Avatar
    Heidi

    Good reminder not to take criticism from a critic seriously. They don’t care. They are selfish and jealous. They are all about themselves.

    Like

  14. Sue Lohr, Team Courageous Avatar

    Keep the name in your memory – she’s a talented and precocious little girl who is destined for something special!
    Thanks for sharing about the Bozos – one of my teammates needed to hear that this week!

    Like

  15. AR Avatar
    AR

    DO YOU THINK IS POSSIBLE THAT A BOZO, IN SOME OCCASION, IS A PERSON THAT IS ASKING/CALLING FOR HELP IN THE INCORRECT WAY … IS A PERSON THAT WANTS TO BE MORE BUT HAS NO IDEA HOW TO GROW AND CHANGE … IS A PERSON THAT RECOGNIZE OTHERS SUCCESS, AT AN INTERNAL LEVEL, AND HE/SHE KNOWS THAT HAS A GREATNESS INSIDE BUT NO IDEA HOW TO BRING IT OUT …

    Like

  16. Carrie Canniff Avatar
    Carrie Canniff

    Great post! Connie sounded great! I would never be BRAVE enough to have anyone video tape me singing Happy Birthday let alone a complex song like Connie sang. The post is a great reminder of criticism being the death gargle of the non-achiever. Never give your dreams to someone who does not appreciate them!

    Like

  17. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    Thanks for the great encouragement Chris. Connie Talbot has definitely been blessed with an amazing gift. I expect we’ll be seeing more of her in the future. I have, however, one thought that comes to mind about the ‘dislikes’. In as much as it is incredible to see such a young girl with such a powerful voice, is it equally as amazing to see such this currently innocent girl proudly singing a song about breaking a relationship? One in which it is glorified to not only give up on a person, but easily replace them as though the other means nothing. Maybe it is not the talented young Connie Talbot that is being disliked, but the subject matter in which see is being guided by her parents to sing.

    Like

  18. Barbara Avatar

    Yes there have been some of these around. Thank-you for the repellent!! Corrine has a beautiful voice, why would anyone find anything in that to dislike? I suppose there are some people who ALWAYS find a problem in anything…

    Like

  19. Juanita Avatar
    Juanita

    That I could sing this well!!! Beautiful well worth the listen. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Like

  20. Jenny Salter Avatar
    Jenny Salter

    Hopefully being a Bozo isn’t genetic because I’m pretty sure I’m related to a few!:) Great post I shared it with my kids!! Thanks!

    Like

  21. Matt Selph Avatar
    Matt Selph

    Wow. Seriously, there are bozos everywhere. I am applying my repellent.

    Like

  22. Jason Dames Avatar
    Jason Dames

    I’m Glad we have people like you in the world that even despite the Bozoz you live out your
    God given calling and impact so many of us!!! God bless you in all that you do!!! I love being on your team!!

    Like

  23. Julie Sagnimeni Avatar
    Julie Sagnimeni

    I’ve had some amazing Bozo experiences recently and I’m about to have a whole lot more! I’ll join the other commenters in saying, “great timing,” as I’ve spent the morning planning out a strategy for a goal that I know people will tell me I’m crazy to try, or that it’s not good for me to do. Bring on the Bozos! What I can or can’t do is between God and me.
    Something that is a huge Bozo repellent for me is the LIFE association.
    It makes me think of the quote by Zig Ziglar, “There’s no such thing as a self motivated person, only those willing to put themselves in an environment conducive to winning.”
    I know as long as I stick with my friends and leaders who are doing big things in their lives, who are high achievers and raise the bar for those around them, and who believe in me, sometimes more than I believe in myself, it will be easier to withstand the Bozos in life.
    Thanks for taking time to write and inspire us, Chris.

    Like

  24. Brittany Schlabach Avatar
    Brittany Schlabach

    Awesome post, Chris! We all need to remember this fact every time we go into the proverbial battle.

    Like

  25. Julie Sagnimeni Avatar
    Julie Sagnimeni

    I’ve had some amazing Bozo experiences recently and I’m about to have a whole lot more! I’ll join the other commenters in saying, “great timing,” as I’ve spent the morning planning out a strategy for a goal that I know people will tell me I’m crazy to try, or that it’s not good for me to do. Bring on the Bozos! What I can or can’t do is between God and me.
    Something that is a huge Bozo repellent for me is the LIFE association.
    It makes me think of the quote by Zig Ziglar, “There’s no such thing as a self motivated person, only those willing to put themselves in an environment conducive to winning.”
    I know as long as I stick with my friends and leaders who are doing big things in their lives, who are high achievers and raise the bar for those around them, and who believe in me, sometimes more than I believe in myself, it will be easier to withstand the Bozos in life.
    Thanks for taking time to write and inspire us, Chris.

    Like

  26. Brent Campau Avatar
    Brent Campau

    Ha! This article is great. I often go to numerous, religious, political, sports and other blogs and find these people. These are the internet bozos in addition to the real life ones. I”m guessing, Chris, that this article was written in response to a bozo encounter of sorts! The tone does have a “jump off a pier bro” type air to it.

    Like

  27. Chris Gornik Avatar
    Chris Gornik

    Yup… Only a nincompoop would dislike that talented young lady.

    Like

  28. Mark Pruitt Avatar
    Mark Pruitt

    Thank you Chris!
    Timely
    Mark Pruitt
    Team Braveheart

    Like

  29. SJ Barakony Avatar

    Thank you for the topic – a very good one, Chris!
    Critics (let alone cynics) are a dime (or with inflation, a couple pennies!) a dozen.
    Criticism & cynicism are more rampant than in the past due to the declining value of the mass media sources which feed too many fertile minds, supplanting edifying, glorifying sources such as THE book (Bible) and the good news throughout the synoptic gospels and the rest of the NT, let alone reading about Nehemiah in the OT. Having gone through a complete mental cleanse the past 3 years, I have made it a mission to educate, coach, counsel, and testify to the effects of ‘bozo repellent’ ๐Ÿ˜€

    Like

  30. Scott Heidrick Avatar
    Scott Heidrick

    This reminds me of the storie OrrinWoodward told about the subways. Thanks for sharing Chris!

    Like

  31. Dean Clouse Avatar

    To the 2000+ dislikers of this video,
    I eagerly await your ten year old self singing a difficult song on videotape. Like my great grandmother used to say, “if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything” and, “if you think you can do better, start”.

    Like

  32. Don Schultz, Team VIP Phalanx Avatar
    Don Schultz, Team VIP Phalanx

    Great reminder Chris, that we be extremely careful who we listen to. Do we listen to everyone equally or do we give high credence to those whom we highly respect?
    As you and Orrin Woodward have said, “the greater the thing we seek to accomplish, the greater the resistance and level of skepticsm we will encounter.”
    “The suit of a leader is thick skin.” Chris Brady

    Like

  33. Greg Johnson Avatar

    Chris,
    Another “Home Run” of a post. I can’t imagine how much talent and how many dreams are lost by succumbing to the laughter and ridicule of “Bozo” We should always keep in mind however that Bozo is just that “Bozo the Clown”. If we remember that Clowns are to make us laugh that is exactly what we should do (not necessarily outwardly but inwardly)when Bozo does what Bozo’s do best; dumb, funny stuff.
    Thanks for pointing out this video of Connie Talbot and the 2,000 dislikes that were given to a 7 yr old very early in pursuit of her dream. Someday I can imagine some of those same “dislikes” saying when Connie is a success that they knew all along she was going to be success and they could see it when she was just 7 yrs old. Like many people will in our lives if we don’t give in to the clowns.

    Like

  34. Matt Foote Avatar
    Matt Foote

    Great reminder that criticism comes with striving for excellence. Thanks Chris.

    Like

  35. Corey McMullin Avatar
    Corey McMullin

    Absolutely amazing! Also amazing that 2,000 folk(bozos) must be tone deaf not to appreciate that level of talent. A great reminder of who and what we run into as we run for excellence.

    Like

  36. Jeremy Arena Avatar
    Jeremy Arena

    Great post Chris! My fiance and I had a run in with bozos the other night! We just decided to start playing tennis a few nights a week, and being the absolute beginners we are, we are not a pretty site to watch yet ๐Ÿ™‚ and of course, there happened to be a pack of teenagers that felt the need to laugh and inform us of our low-level skills… And I can’t agree more with #3, it is a pity that they are wasting their time! Thanks for the encouragement!
    SPARTACUS!

    Like

  37. Marsha Ward Avatar
    Marsha Ward

    Chris, thank you for the inspiring post. Bozos are everywhere, but that is only because so many do not know what we know. And have not been introduced to the true blessings of LIFE. Thank you again for sharing your wisdom.

    Like

  38. Derrick Knoff Avatar
    Derrick Knoff

    Would you be willing to describe what a Bozo would be like in the Metropolitan (vs. the subway — its natural habitat). Does such a thing even exist?

    Like

  39. Jim Deming Avatar
    Jim Deming

    Thank you Chris, I have ran into a few bozo,s and unfortunately allowed what they did to sink in and I dwelled on it. Being reminded of the need for mental toughness is always good. Like a trainer that tells you that sit ups are nessesary its always a good reminder.
    Thank you
    The Deming’s

    Like

  40. JeanetteP Avatar
    JeanetteP

    Beautiful, Chris! Thank you!

    Like

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