“Be strict with yourself and tolerant with others.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
“If you will be hard on yourself, life will be easy on you. But if you insist upon being easy on yourself, life is going to be very hard on you.” -Zig Ziglar
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” -Steve Jobs
Per Wikipedia, “stealing thunder” is a rhetorical tactic that can be utilized In a contentious situation, such as a court case, a political debate or a public relations crisis. By introducing the point first and being open about it or rebutting it, the force of the opposition’s argument is diminished – their thunder is stolen.
A great example of this is from the film 8 Mile. In the climactic scene “Rabbit” (played by Eminem) has a rap battle against “Papa Doc” (played by Anthony Mackie). Rabbit, aware that Papa Doc has a lot of negative information about him, puts it all out there first. That way, Papa Doc has nothing to say when it’s his turn. It’s a brilliant move. Here’s the scene.
Another way to think about stealing thunder is to be your own toughest critic. Have expectations for yourself that are much higher than anyone else’s. That way, both criticisms and compliments won’t affect you. Because you have your own standard of excellence.
And all you really care about is whether you’re living up to it.
P.S. – Read the article “How To Get An MBA From Eminem?” by James Altucher
The Vs. Studio Blog 