How to intimidate your enemies
Published: Thu, 01/14/21
One of these movies is:
“Cinderella Man”
It’s based on the true-life story of Depression-era ex-boxer James J. Braddock (played by Russell Crowe) who works as a day laborer after breaking his hand boxing, until his former manager Joe Gould (played by Paul Giamatti) offers him a one-time slot against a rising young contender. After he wins a shocking upset he wasn’t “supposed” to win (and was to be a fall guy), Braddock goes back into the ring full time, to ultimately fight the villainous champ Max Baer — known for snapping & then literally killing his opponents in the ring.
The lesson in it:
The power of Keeping Up Appearances.
There are two scenes in particular that illustrate this.
The most powerful is when Braddock is fighting one of the highest ranked boxers in the world. He takes a devastating hit to his face, with the impact so hard, it knocks his mouthpiece out. To which, enduring near intolerable pain from that & other rib cage-shattering body shots, Jim merely smiles at him.
What does his cut man Joe Gould tell him when he goes to his corner?
Not to sit down.
Not to rest.
Not even to spit in a bucket, I don't think.
No, he says:
“Don’t sit down. You’re not tired. You’re fine.” He also waves off the sponge man with the bucket and water. Then he tells Braddock, while looking at his opponent. “Shake your head like you don’t need it. You don’t want it. Yeah, now he’s gonna wonder ‘if Braddock is such an old man, why is he still standing. Why is he still coming at me?’”
The result:
This top ranked boxer, who just gave his very best, to this old man underdog who should have gone down… is completely psychologically intimidated.
You'll have to see the movie to watch what happens next.
But, I’ll just say this:
It’s one of the single greatest success lessons I've seen from the Hollywood swamp.
It's also a shining example of the power of Keeping Up Appearances.
There’s another, more obvious example of this in the movie, too.
But if you want to mess with your competition… while actually being the successful boy or ghoul you want everyone to think you are on social media, while giving yourself an advantage over every single business you ever compete against for the rest of your days... master the art and craft of Keeping Up Appearances. Especially when you are at your lowest, most dejected, and blackest hour, when people think you are beaten.
Always keep up appearances, my Pet.
Nobody else is, I can assure you.
Especially people on social media who always eventually crack when under enough pressure and start complaining about their lives, their setbacks, and their problems.
Don’t be that guy or ghoul.
Don't give anyone the satisfaction.
Okay, enough spit bucket drool for the soul.
For more mental toughness pep talkery, check out the books here:
https://www.EmailPlayers.com/villains
Ben Settle