Rule 3 - Chat Sh*t Get Banged

Let’s be clear: this isn't an endorsement of actual physical violence. It’s a borrowed phrase from the wordsmith Jamie Vardy, but it conveys something fundamentally important.

The rule has two essential dimensions.

The Cost of Bad Faith

If you go around talking rubbish about other people. If you chat shit behind their back, spread gossip, or consistently misrepresent people. You should not be surprised when it comes back at you with an unpleasant bang.

This is the universal law of reputation management. When you speak unkindly or insincerely about others, you are the one who is truly revealed. People see the character beneath the words. You alienate allies, burn bridges, and create an atmosphere of distrust.

The first, simplest lesson of this rule is: Be kind. Don't spend your energy bad-mouthing others. Focus on positives, not on tearing down what someone else is doing.

The Credibility Killer

This is the more crucial point: the rule is a stark reminder to not waffle, to not post utter tripe on LinkedIn, and to never pretend you know stuff when you don't. It's a directive to just not go around openly chatting shit, especially the self-serving, empty kind of bullshit.

We’ve all seen it: the person who uses five buzzwords where one clear sentence would do, the expert who blusters through a pitch with no actual expertise, or the friend who commits to a plan with no intention of following through. They are "chatting shit."

The "bang" they eventually get is the slow, quiet erosion of their credibility. They become the noise, not the signal. When they finally have something important to say, no one is listening because they’ve conditioned their audience to expect fluff and pretense.

Your words are currency. When you fill them with air, you devalue the entire exchange. Be concise. Be honest. If you don't know the answer, say so. If you commit to a deadline, hit it. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Stop talking about it, and just do the work.