Don't be Angered by Your Haters; be Energised!

When I was growing up, Manchester United were a sworn footballing enemy of mine and many of my friends.

Whoever we supported – Leeds, Arsenal, Newcastle etc. – we always hoped that they would lose.

A popular chant at Premier League football grounds was, “Stand up if you hate Man U” – a typically unifying moment between home and away fans.

But – footballing rivalries aside – why were Manchester United's losses celebrated so widely?

Why were they such a target?

Because when I was growing up in the nineties, they were the dominant team in the Premier League.

They set the standard.

In short, they won too often!

If they hadn’t been so successful, no one else, besides their supporters and immediate opponents, would have really cared about their results.

Ironically, the fact that so many wished for their failure was one of the clearest indicators of their success!

And that’s what the road to consistent, sustainable success – success that leads to a legacy – looks like.

When you set the bar high, there will always be those who are gleeful at your slip-ups and defeats.

Don’t be angered by that; be energised!

What an honour to be the target – the one that the rest are gunning for.

So, don’t mind the haters – take their efforts as a compliment.

I'm pretty sure that Sir Alex Ferguson did.

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#SundaySermon #meaning #success #legacy #football