“Your reputation definitely precedes you.”

An aggressive debt collector said that to me recently after getting nowhere in our exchanges. I told her I could not continue communicating with her that way, raised my concerns about the rules of professional conduct, and asked that an attorney be copied. Eventually, I chose not to engage further.

I’ll admit it: I was flattered.

I’ve been the subject of litigation and personal attacks from narcissistic trolls and a few of the desperate bottom feeders. I’ve also represented at least a thousand people in lawsuits of their own. I know the facts are not always clean, and I don’t always get to choose what someone says about me.

But I do get to choose my response.

There is real power in calmly and persistently holding a boundary while someone else grows frustrated. Watching them flail as they try to lure me into their aggressive downward spiral. I don’t have to match their aggression to stand my ground.

Maybe that’s the reputation I’ve earned. If so, I’ll take it.