What would you do if someone mailed you a letter—anonymously—filled with scripture, calling you lazy, a burden, and a failure?

I got that letter.

And today, I want to share it with you. Word for word. Then I’ll share the response I wrote years later, the one I now read every morning.

Because this… this is where the bounce-back begins.

I recently reread Patrick Bet-David’s book Choose Your Enemies Wisely. One line hit me like zig-zag lightning:

That’s when I remembered a letter I had buried deep in my memory. Typed. Anonymous. Stuffed with scripture. Soaked in shame.

Here’s that letter—exactly as it was sent to me:

Mark

Matthew 18:15 says: “Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

I know that several men have come to you and tried to show you that you are sinning. You will not listen to anyone and you need to hear from God.

Get a job and provide for Michelle.

It is not her place to provide for you. You are acting like a spoiled brat. Stop asking others in the church for money.

Proverbs 21:25 – Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.

Ephesians 4:28 – Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 – Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: those unwilling to work will not get to eat.

From the New Living Translation: We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their living.

Deuteronomy 2:6 – If you need food to eat or water to drink, pay them for it.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His Word says it and it means the same all the time.

Yeah, that happened.

And for years, I let it sit in the shadows of my mind.

But that quote from PBD brought it all rushing back. And I realized something important:

That voice—the one behind the paper—it’s not just a critic. It’s my enemy.

Not because I hate whoever sent it, but because they tried to define my worth with shame.

And now?

I respond. Not with bitterness. But with clarity.

This is the declaration I now keep printed and pinned to my wall:

I remember the letter.
Typed. Anonymous.
Stuffed with scripture, soaked in shame.
Not signed with a name, but with cowardice.

It told me I was lazy.
It told me to get a job.
It told me I wasn’t a man because I wasn’t bringing home a paycheck the way they thought I should.

It tried to drag my wife into the accusation—
as if she was disappointed in me.
She wasn’t. She never was. She never has been.
Because she knows who I am. And she sees what I do.

But that letter?
It tried to define me by my lowest moment.
It tried to bury me before I was done building.

Well guess what?

I’m still here.
I’m still working.
I’m still dreaming.
And I’m still climbing.

Not because of that letter.
But in spite of it.

This is not a grudge.
This is a standard.
This is my declaration that I do not take anonymous shots
from people who’ve never stood where I stand.

I work seven days a week.
I’ve run every day since 2017.
I’ve recorded over 1,300 podcast episodes.
I drive. I coach. I serve. I grow. I give.

I don't just get clarity—I deliver it.

So to the anonymous accuser:
You are my enemy.
You are my reminder.
You are the ghost I chase with every step I take toward my purpose.

This is not revenge.
This is redemption.

Let this year be the one where I rise so high, even the shadows can't reach me.

Signed,​
​Mark “Mister Productivity” Struczewski​
​The man who didn’t quit.

Maybe someone’s tried to do the same to you.
Maybe they didn’t write a letter, but they whispered the same message:

You're lazy. You're selfish. You're not enough.

Here’s my reminder to you:

Don’t take anonymous shots from people who’ve never stood where you stand.

That letter didn’t define me. My response did.

And yours will too.

If this message spoke to you—if you know someone going through a hard season—please forward this email to them. It’s not about me. It’s about making sure no one thinks they have to carry their burden alone.

Thanks for reading. I don’t take your attention for granted.

Stay productive. Stay positive. And be kind.

Mark

Did a cool person forward you this email?

​Sign up here for free.