Facing the press is not easy, but because you have to go, you

Hear the words of Jose Mourinho, a master of strategy and fire, who declared: “Facing the press is not easy, but because you have to go, you have to try to take a lot of positive things for yourself from these face-to-face meetings.” This is more than a statement about sport—it is a lesson about endurance, perception, and the art of transforming trial into strength. For the press, like the voices of the crowd in the ancient arenas, can lift a man to the heavens one day and cast him into the dust the next. To face them is to face judgment itself, and Mourinho reminds us that such judgment must be turned into fuel, not chains.

The press is not unlike the chorus of old, who sang before the people in the theaters of Greece. They amplified triumphs, but also mocked failures, often without mercy. To stand before them requires not only skill but courage, for words can wound deeper than swords. Mourinho’s wisdom lies in this: though you cannot escape the gaze of the crowd or the questions of the critics, you can still choose your response. To seek the positive in such encounters is to master oneself, even when one cannot master the voices outside.

History echoes with examples of this lesson. Recall Abraham Lincoln, who during his presidency was constantly ridiculed by newspapers. Caricatures mocked his appearance, critics belittled his decisions, and yet he did not let their voices destroy his resolve. Instead, he searched for kernels of truth within the mockery, using criticism to sharpen his vision and to strengthen his speeches. Like Mourinho, he knew that to stand before the multitude is to be tested—but from the test one can draw wisdom, if one chooses to see the positive.

Mourinho also hints at a greater truth: hardship itself is inevitable. To lead, to compete, to strive—these paths will always draw scrutiny. One cannot run from the press, just as one cannot run from the storms of life. The only choice is whether to crumble or to endure, whether to see only the sting or to extract the lesson. Thus, every trial becomes a mirror: will you find despair in it, or will you find a spark to drive you forward?

The teaching here is not about football alone but about the human condition. Each of us faces our own press: the voices of doubters, the gaze of critics, the judgments of society. We cannot silence them, but we can decide whether their words will poison or strengthen us. To take the positive is to rise above mockery, to shape criticism into resolve, and to treat every face-to-face confrontation as training for the soul.

The lesson for us is clear: do not fear the crowd, and do not despise the critic. Instead, listen with discernment, extract what may strengthen you, and cast aside what is useless. Train your mind to convert judgment into growth, and you will never leave an encounter empty-handed. In this way, even the harshest confrontation can become an opportunity for victory.

Practical steps flow from this wisdom. When faced with criticism, pause before reacting. Ask yourself: Is there truth here I can use? If so, take it as treasure, however bitter its wrapping. If not, let it pass like wind through the trees. Practice gratitude for those who test you, for they sharpen your spirit more than flatterers ever could. Speak calmly in the face of judgment, and remember always that your worth is not determined by the voices of others, but by the resilience of your own soul.

So remember Mourinho’s counsel: “Facing the press is not easy… take a lot of positive things for yourself from these face-to-face meetings.” To face the crowd is to face fire, but from fire comes tempered steel. Embrace the trial, seek the lesson, and turn every word hurled against you into a stone for building your tower. In this way, even the harshest critics become unwilling allies in your journey to greatness.