Great advice and this extends to being a public figure and branding. Create a void and others will fill it with whatever they like, and that may be negative. Be

Great advice and this extends to being a public figure and branding. Create a void and others will fill it with whatever they like, and that may be negative. Be communicative as a brand or individual and you get to choose what the space is filled with before others can fill it. And if they choose to express an opinion, there is already a well established foundation of perception there that they have to compete with.