---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I learned: if you've done something…"
description: "\"What I learned: if you've done something you think the public is going to react badly to, you can't delay it, hide from it, or ignore it. You have to a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png"
---

#  What I learned: if you've done something you think the…

![“What I learned: if you've done something you think the public is going to react badly to, you can't delay it, hide from it, or ignore it. You have to address it head on and take your beating. Always take your beating.” quote by Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png)

> “What I learned: if you've done something you think the public is going to react badly to, you can't delay it, hide from it, or ignore it. You have to address it head on and take your beating. Always take your beating.”

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When a controversial action is taken, one must confront the fallout directly rather than avoid it, learning from the experience.

**In simple terms:** Face consequences head‑on instead of hiding.

Key Takeaway

Address criticism promptly and learn from it.

Themes

accountability transparency resilience learning

Mood

reflective cautious motivational

Type

advice personal

When to use this quote

- product launches
- social media posts
- public statements

Key Concepts

public relations personal growth crisis management

Questions to Reflect On

- What risks do you accept when confronting criticism?
- When is it better to pause before responding?

A Different Perspective

Avoiding immediate backlash can sometimes be strategic, but may also erode trust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beating/) [Beating Beating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beating-beating-943846/) [Delay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delay/) [Head Beating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-beating-2559292/) [Hide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hide/) [Ignore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignore/) [React](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/react/) [React Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/react-badly-2409359/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Think Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-public/)

## Related quotes

> [My head is on beating everybody up and cementing myself at the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/my-head-is-on-beating-everybody-up-and-cementing-myself-at-the-top/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [Its beating for you.. but now its beating for someone else. -.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/its-beating-for-you-but-now-its-beating-for-someone-else/)

[Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/)

> [The process of coming out is normally very disappointing. It's not that people react badly to it - they really don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derren-brown/the-process-of-coming-out-is-normally-very-disappointing-it-s-not/)

[Derren Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derren-brown/)

> [I react very badly when mediocrity throws a tantrum of entitlement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-siegel/i-react-very-badly-when-mediocrity-throws-a-tantrum-of-entitlement/)

[Lee Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-siegel/)

> [Very few people ever meet celebrities. All we really know is what we read about them and the most memorable lines are jokes. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/very-few-people-ever-meet-celebrities-all-we-really-know-is-what-we/)

[Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/)

> [The IMPP work was already very important. The recent AOL action might reinforce public perception that a standard is needed, but I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-l-moore/the-impp-work-was-already-very-important-the-recent-aol-action-might/)

[Keith L. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-l-moore/)

> [I think you should make more movies, more musicals. I think the public deserves that. I think this country deserves to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-o-connor/i-think-you-should-make-more-movies-more-musicals-i-think-the-public/)

[Donald O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-o-connor/)

> [You could get a cheer by saying: 'Let's withdraw from Afghanistan', but I don't think that's where the public's at. It wouldn't be responsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-balls/you-could-get-a-cheer-by-saying-let-s-withdraw-from-afghanistan-but-i/)

[Ed Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-balls/)

> [I think the American public can accept the fact if you tell them that every time you pick up the phone it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kelly/i-think-the-american-public-can-accept-the-fact-if-you-tell-them-that/)

[Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kelly/)

> [I think public sector banks need to have greater private participation of people who have skin in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-piramal/i-think-public-sector-banks-need-to-have-greater-private/)

[Ajay Piramal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-piramal/)

> [And fourthly there is a major shift in public opinion and attitude to accommodate to the post-9/11 mentality and the Bush administration's penchant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/and-fourthly-there-is-a-major-shift-in-public-opinion-and-attitude-to/)

[Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/)

> [The papers, you know, they're always gonna just make stuff up. They think it's in the public interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-bugg/the-papers-you-know-they-re-always-gonna-just-make-stuff-up-they/)

[Jake Bugg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-bugg/)

> [I think being in the public eye can only help me launch into the world of fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/i-think-being-in-the-public-eye-can-only-help-me-launch-into-the/)

[Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/)

> [I think, whenever you're in the public eye, you're never going to be loved by everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-jackson/i-think-whenever-you-re-in-the-public-eye-you-re-never-going-to-be/)

[Amy Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-jackson/)

> [I think the public doesn't understand that one of the reasons I haven't stood up for myself is because in order to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-the-public-doesn-t-understand-that-one-of-the-reasons-i-haven/)

[Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/)

## More by Justin Kan

> [The big thing was realizing for myself that I had tied my ego to the outcomes and to startups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/the-big-thing-was-realizing-for-myself-that-i-had-tied-my-ego-to-the/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [During the pandemic, obviously gaming has become almost like a primary activity. People are at home all the time, they need to entertain themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/during-the-pandemic-obviously-gaming-has-become-almost-like-a-primary/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [I want to inspire the youth to become entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-want-to-inspire-the-youth-to-become-entrepreneurs/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [My advice is flip a coin. If you regret the way it landed, then go with your gut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/my-advice-is-flip-a-coin-if-you-regret-the-way-it-landed-then-go-with/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [I think when you start talking about selling a company or a company wants to buy you, then you start thinking about how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-think-when-you-start-talking-about-selling-a-company-or-a-company/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [If you look at things that are popular apps, it doesn't mean it's going to stick around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/if-you-look-at-things-that-are-popular-apps-it-doesn-t-mean-it-s/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [I'm looking for a girl who's an exhibitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-m-looking-for-a-girl-who-s-an-exhibitionist/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [If justin.tv can succeed, then nobody has an excuse. It was a terrible idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/if-justin-tv-can-succeed-then-nobody-has-an-excuse-it-was-a-terrible/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [It's nice to watch someone else perform instead of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/it-s-nice-to-watch-someone-else-perform-instead-of-me/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [I can't promise you will succeed if you stick with your start-up. What I can promise is that if you give up, you won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-can-t-promise-you-will-succeed-if-you-stick-with-your-start-up-what/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [It helps tremendously to have operating startup experience when advising startups. It is much easier to tell people how to talk to customers, build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/it-helps-tremendously-to-have-operating-startup-experience-when/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [Alcohol was this crutch for me, to be able to be confident or go do those things I was scared to do. Eventually, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/alcohol-was-this-crutch-for-me-to-be-able-to-be-confident-or-go-do/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [I like the idea that I can make a big difference to a startup in a short period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-like-the-idea-that-i-can-make-a-big-difference-to-a-startup-in-a/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [Companies are bought not sold, an investment banker told me that once and it is very true. Basically what it means is you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/companies-are-bought-not-sold-an-investment-banker-told-me-that-once/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

> [Most people aren't good at creating generally interesting video.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/most-people-aren-t-good-at-creating-generally-interesting-video/)

[Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

[Explore all 110 Justin Kan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/)

## More Beating quotes

> [Sometimes the challenge of beating the jet lag and getting a decent sleep can be as hard to solve as finding the right setup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/sometimes-the-challenge-of-beating-the-jet-lag-and-getting-a-decent/)

[Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/)

> [There's nothing worse than a violent beating from an unremarkable person. Physical violence with someone is too much like shagging them. Too much id…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-violent-beating-from-an-unremarkable/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

> [Until your heart stops beating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-black/until-your-heart-stops-beating/)

[Jacob Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-black/)

> [Its beating for you.. but now its beating for someone else. -.-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/its-beating-for-you-but-now-its-beating-for-someone-else/)

[Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/)

> [Beating yourself up about a mistake you made is only going to make you more inclined to do it again. Just accept that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-rai/beating-yourself-up-about-a-mistake-you-made-is-only-going-to-make/)

[Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-rai/)

> [Some prescient American collectors, including Vicki and Kent Logan and Mera and Donald Rubell, began collecting Chinese art before 2000 with a genuine passion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/some-prescient-american-collectors-including-vicki-and-kent-logan-and/)

[Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/)

> [Beating somebody up and dominating them, it's fun. It's sick. But it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/beating-somebody-up-and-dominating-them-it-s-fun-it-s-sick-but-it-s/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [Were all given some sort of skill in life. Mine just happens to be beating up on people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/were-all-given-some-sort-of-skill-in-life-mine-just-happens-to-be/)

[Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/)

> [ “Bear ‘beating’ in this world. Therein is the taste of the Soul \[the Atma\]. There is no taste \[feeling of goodness, happiness\] in giving… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/bear-beating-in-this-world-therein-is-the-taste-of-the-soul-the-atma/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [If you feel more emotion looking at a picture of queuing lorries than a picture of desperate humans living in a lay-by, you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/if-you-feel-more-emotion-looking-at-a-picture-of-queuing-lorries-than/)

[Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/)

> [Beating a women is unacceptable. Period. She tries to hit you first, do like I do and tickle her until she pisses herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/beating-a-women-is-unacceptable-period-she-tries-to-hit-you-first-do/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you have a beating heart, that's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/if-you-have-a-beating-heart-that-s-good-enough/)

[Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/)

> [I love beating up on heavyweights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toney/i-love-beating-up-on-heavyweights/)

[James Toney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toney/)

> [“If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologise!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-even-dream-of-beating-me-you-better-wake-up-and-apologise/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Here were these college kids beating the Soviets and going on to the Olympic Gold Medal. To me, that's the greatest upset of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mckay/here-were-these-college-kids-beating-the-soviets-and-going-on-to-the/)

[Jim McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mckay/)

[Browse all 299 Beating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beating/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What I learned: if you've done something you think the public is going to react badly to, you can't delay it, hide from it, or ignore it. You have to address it head on and take your beating. Always take your beating.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Justin Kan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something-you-think-the-public-is-going/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beating"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something-you-think-the-public-is-going/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/caa/justin-kan-4459_beating_what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something_1056796.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What I learned: if you've done something you think the public is going to react badly to, you can't delay…” — Justin Kan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Justin Kan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What I learned: if you've done...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something-you-think-the-public-is-going/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/what-i-learned-if-you-ve-done-something-you-think-the-public-is-going/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
