One very late evening, while publishing my Publicity Action Workbook, I was gathering marketing materials and searching my computer files for a free report that I'd written a few years before.
After about 30 minutes I decided to google myself and see if I could find an online copy. What I found turned me inside out.
There, in the google search, I found my free report re-published under someone else's name. She hadn't just stolen the content, she used the exact same title. To make matters worse, this was a woman I knew personally. She and I were in the same mastermind group.
I was crushed. Even now, years later, I still feel sick when reliving that memory. Having your work or ideas copied is a betrayal. When this happens (it will), you will find yourself feeling surprised, hurt, frustrated, embarrassed, and upset with yourself. Whether it's your original creative works or an idea stolen by a coworker, having this happen can derail a woman emotionally for days or weeks. This has happened to me a number of times and that glib saying "Well, you must be worth copying" never makes me feel better. Since YOU would never copycat someone, when this happens the surprise and feelings of betrayal can be devastating.
In this week's Monday Morning Mastermind episode, I share about how copycats have hurt me in the past and what I do when it happens today.
PLEASE, when you see someone taking credit for someone else's work, SPEAK UP. It makes a difference.