14 OCTOBER 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The “Idiots” Corner by “Billy Bob Smith” Ever had some idiot tell you, “I’ve got some bad news for you.” Or, “I’ve got some good news?” Idiots often love sharing bad news or even stupid news that even they don’t understand - or they are not sure how you will respond, or they want you to respond in a certain way. Ever had some bad news and then found out later it was actually good news? So, was the earlier news really good or was it really bad? Consider the following brief ideas idiots will probably think are stupid. My experience tells me most idiots in life look at all news good or bad, as bad. You get some news - You got the job. Is it good or bad news? Ask me in a year. You get some bad news - Your spouse says he or she wants a divorce. Ten years later, you decide it was the best news you have ever received. Possible? So, what is good and bad news? It’s just information, and you get to decide if it’s good or bad, true or false, important or not. News is perceived according to your circumstances, emotions, history, personality, education, opinions, prejudices, expectations, etc. Get it? The same news could be perceived differently by different people, driven by a variety of different stuff. So, an idiot sees it one way and an intelligent person sees the same stuff differently. The outcome of news is also determined by your response or reaction to it. So you just got fired and spend the next three months whining, complaining, or sulking; or on the next day, you hit the road looking for a new and better position or opportunity, and you find a better one than the last job. Good or bad news? Your doctor just told you, “You have a year to live.” So you lock yourself in your house until it’s over, or you call the airline and plan the next several months’ traveling the world or spending time with the people you love, and you have more fun that year than ever before in your entire life. Tell your boss, spouse, kids, family, etc. to stop giving you good or bad news. Tell them you just want the news. Is your reaction or response the same to good or bad news? Or do you let the news determine your response? So I ask, if your response or reaction depends on the news, what or who is in charge of your day or life? The news you get from the outside world, or you? I love bad news - it forces me to get creative, and positive, to learn, to grow, and to take better control of my life. Do I always like it? Nada, no, but do I let it control me or my day or my life? Nada, no. What about you? Love it, or hate it? I remember a former boss telling me, “I have some bad news for you.” So I told him before he tried to give it to me, “I have some good news for you - I quit.” I remember, a few years ago a previous girlfriend at a dinner date telling me, “I’m sorry, but I have some bad news for you . . . we are breaking up . . . blah, blah, blah.” Looking back, I wonder why it took her so long to give me the bad news, or I didn’t give it to her. I’m done. I’ve got some bad news for you - from now on, you must figure this stuff out for yourself. So, how do you define good news or bad news? Which do you really want to hear? Try sharing some good news with idiots and I will guarantee they will see it as bad news. Billy Bob Contact him via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com “This is what I say: I've got good news and bad news. The good news is, you don't have to worry, you can't change the past. The bad news is, you don't have to worry, no matter how hard you try, you can't change the past.” ~Charles Yu “The bad news is that yesterday sucked. The good news is that yesterday is gone. Today's a new day. Own it! Shape it! Live it! ~Steve Maraboli “The bad news is nothing lasts forever; the good news is nothing lasts forever.” ~J. Cole
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