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I’ve said it over and over: the Internet Marketing niche is a volatile one. It’s not the ideal space to work within, unless you have a strong position and a thick skin.

I’m still working on the latter, but the former I have nailed. I have been in business for 13 years, successfully working from home and online, and earn a very nice living from the internet.

I have never made false claims, big promises, or even shared my own income details. If anything, I’m more of a realist and help people get grounded with strategies and models that work.

Still, I get my share of negative comments and unhealthy cynicism – from complete strangers, and on an almost daily basis. Some of this comes from past negative experience with other people or companies. Some of it stems from a general disdain for anyone experiencing success.

A friendly, honest response usually turns things around and so I do my best to respond and answer questions – no matter the tone.

But every now and then you’ll run across someone online who is just in an all out campaign against you. The more you try to resolve it, the more they attack you. These types enjoy stirring the pot and ruffling feathers, and are not worth the time and energy it takes to keep up or respond.

Until they cross the line. And libel is nothing to play with.

This week’s potshot comes from none other than Rick Butts. And if you recognize that name, your memory is correct: this is not the first pot he’s stirred with my name in it.

It started on a blog post by Ryan Healy titled Internet Marketing Life Support. It’s a good blog post. Ryan makes valid points about doing your research and knowing who you’re working with. I have no qualms with the post – in fact, I encourage you to read it.

And then scroll down and read the first of 100+ comments, by Rick Butts, where he says (and I quote):

They’ve also been helped along by 2nd tier gurus like Lynn Terry who so desperately want to be gurus and relentlessly continue to preach the guru gospel and faithfully haul their junk out to flea market at each launch. This group has done as much if not more (and there are a lot of them – see ‘em at every live event) to keep the momentum and false hope alive.

If you read the rest of Rick Butts’ comment you’ll get an even bigger picture of the negative picture that he paints of the group he has made up in his head where he used me as the prime example.

I am sure there is no need to defend myself here or to you. And I won’t be leaving a comment on Ryan’s blog post. I have collected both screenshots and print versions and am sending those over to my lawyer this morning.

So with that behind us, I would like to take this opportunity to share my thoughts about hierarchy and perceptions in the IM space…

As humans, we tend to struggle to find our place in the world. We have this imaginary totem pole in our minds, and in order to find our place there we have to position everything around us on it first. She is above me, I am above him, we are equals, etc. In placing everyone else, you can easily place yourself.

Why this is necessary, I have no idea. I just know that I see it every single day. Unfortunately you are rarely ever comparing apples to apples, but rather using only what limited facts you have about someone to make a skewed judgment – which ultimately reflects on your judgment of yourself.

I have never called myself a 2nd Tier Guru. Or a guru even, for that matter. People who put titles on me do so only to define themselves.

Be cautious about making such judgments or conclusions about others. Or about having expectations from someone that are solely based on your perception of them. Make decisions based on facts. GET the facts if you don’t have them. Never assume.

This goes for products you might buy, coaches or mentors you hire, people you choose to respect and/or emulate. This goes for people you choose as accountability partners, peers for your personal mastermind group… or even friends.

Someone’s perception of me does not change the person I am. It only changes how they see me, or their expectations of me. And that can lead to unnecessary disappointment – for both parties.

It’s important to do your research, and work with facts. And to rely more on yourself, your common sense and your gut intuition, than to rely on anyone else for your success – or for your position on that silly, imaginary totem pole.

At the end of the day, no matter how high or low you’ve placed me, which is not going to be the same as everyone else, I am still the same person. I am your everyday 36 year old single mom. I work from home, I work hard, and make damn good money on the internet. I spend every day helping others do the same. Period.

Don’t let me, or anyone else, define you – or your goals. Success is unique to everyone, as is the road to get there. No product and no person is going to be the source of your success – it comes from within you.

Ryan’s post does a good job of explaining why. It’s a reality check on where we place our focus. Are you busy following people and products, or are you busy following your own game plan?

As for the comments, I’d skip those. Read it, consider it, and then get back to work on your own online business. Don’t let the drama sidetrack you. I’m not.

Best,

Original post by Lynn Terry and software by Elliott Back