A well-respected friend replied to my recent email (in which I went on an emotional rant about bad email subs):

I prefer being honest over being polite, so here comes:

This email feels a bit off - [...] maybe it's the contrast to the calls we had

Either way:

If this felt 100% authentic then completely disregard everything I said. Even if it didn't, and it's just part of your strategy, then disregard what I said.

I just remember when I was forcing myself to write emails like Daniel [Throssell], or Alin [Dragu], or other people with the same "style" and it took me a while to finally admit that it's just not who I am, and that I was only forcing myself to write like that.

So I started writing how I wanted, and emails went from feeling like a chore to complete flow task

Idk if this was helpful or not - either way, it's your list and I trust you know what you're doing

Hope you won't manually ban me now lol

Okay, let me give my 2 cents on this.

First off… I highly appreciate criticism like this.

This is how I know that my friend (whose name I won't disclose, just in case) is a GOOD friend.

A well-meaning friend who doesn’t sugarcoat things just to stroke my ego but actually wants me to be better. We need people like that in our lives.

Thank you for that.

Secondly…

I will admit that that email (titled “unsubscribe”) was a little… out there.

Not like my typical emails perhaps.

Do I regret writing that email?

No. As I was writing that email, I was frantically laughing my ass off knowing full well that it would offend some people. 

It was a genuine reflection of my emotional state at that moment.

Would I have posted that email now?

Probably not.

But that's part of the fun.

See, a big chunk of my email philosophy means capturing the actual, REAL emotions I feel when writing.

And that sometimes means doing crazy (and offensive) things.

Next, I need you to understand one thing:

The Tim you know from these emails is NOT the Tim you would meet IRL.

In the real world… I'm a calmer, more agreeable, and friendly guy. (At least I hope I'm perceived that way 😅)

But that's not the Tim I am when I write these emails.

Does that make me an inauthentic fraud?

I would argue… 

NO.

Far from it.

It means that I'm letting a different, more emotional version of myself surface that otherwise wouldn't have room for expression. 

Cause let's face it: we all have that part inside of us who wants to do absurd and crazy shit.

It has nothing to do with being inauthentic or “fake”.

If you’d like to witness a version of me resembling that of IRL Tim, you can check out my podcasts or reply to my emails (I personally respond to all of your replies). That'll give you a better taste.

But these emails are not that Tim.

(Most of the time)

And if you don't like that… well, sorry. This is the process that works for me so I'll continue doing it.

Anyway…

All this wasn’t meant as a reply to my friend (I texted him personally)… but to YOU, the regular reader.

The lesson here is that you shouldn't shy away from criticism. Face it. Accept it. Embrace it. And then… make a decision on whether you should listen.

See…

Your ability to accept and implement criticism (even if it stings) will make you very successful.

Because success is nothing but failing and adjusting course. Like a missile, veering off course ever so slightly, and constantly re-assessing its trajectory.

So next time someone criticizes you… be thankful. It’s your time to grow.

What’s one thing YOU recently got criticized for? What did you learn from it?

Talk soon,

Tim <3

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