The way to work with a bully is to take the ball and go home. First time, every time. When there's no ball, there's no game. Bullies hate that. So they'll either behave so they can play with you or they'll go bully someone else.

In this quote, Seth Godin offers advice on how to deal with a bully. He suggests that the most effective way to handle bullying behavior is to remove yourself from the situation—essentially, to take the ball and go home. This metaphor implies that when you refuse to engage with the bully or participate in their game, you take away their power. By not allowing the bully to control the situation, you neutralize their behavior.

Godin emphasizes that the first time, every time you encounter a bully, you should consistently take this approach. The idea is that bullies rely on their ability to provoke reactions and maintain control, and by refusing to play along, you deny them that opportunity. In Godin’s analogy, the ball represents the source of the bully's power—whether it’s attention, control, or conflict—and by walking away, you essentially stop the game from continuing.

The quote also points out that when there’s no game, the bully is left with two options: either they will adjust their behavior to rejoin the group or they will target someone else. This reinforces the idea that bullies depend on others' reactions to thrive, and by refusing to play into their tactics, you make it less likely that the behavior will persist.

Ultimately, Godin’s quote is a strategic approach to dealing with bullies by setting boundaries and refusing to engage with negative behavior. It encourages empowerment through withdrawal rather than confrontation, demonstrating how taking control of the situation by stepping away can lead to the bully either improving their behavior or moving on.