We've all heard about the rant that made Robert Sherman a household name these past couple of weeks among sports fans. As a talented corner for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks, he went off in an
interview with Fox Sport's Erin Andrews after the last playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers. Although he had supporters, most people felt his behavior was out of control and unprofessional. The majority of us have had at least one experience in our lives when we reacted rashly based on a situation when emotions were running high. We've most likely regretted those words after further thought whether we apologized for our behavior or not. Because those words aren't often well thought out, they can oftentimes cost us. They cost us in broken relationships, lost opportunities, and even in real dollars. Sherman found himself having to pay a $7,875 fine just for talking too much. That's not a lot of money for a star pro athlete, but it is a waste nonetheless when you consider it didn't have to happen in the first place.
When was the last time your words cost you? And what did they cost you? A job? A date? Your freedom? Careless words rack up a debt that sometimes won't be paid off. You can never take back what you've said. You will be judged by those hurtful or irrational words regardless of how much else you accomplish. That moment in time is frozen in the minds of some or many, and everything they think about you will be weighed against your foolish words. Though your intent at the time may have been only to express your anger, what you rather intended won't matter.
Let Sherman's ill-chosen behavior be a lesson to us all. Don't speak out of anger. Unless you want to be thought a fool, it is better to remain quiet and humble. It's not how loud or forceful you can sound to intimidate or prove yourself. It is the poise you maintain in a hostile situation that shows your real strength and character.
#communications #anger #seahawks #arrogance #selfcontrol
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