I was 29 years old, when I finally figured out that you can’t keep all the critics happy, no matter what you do. This realisation, gave me the freedom to live and work, without fear. I was never the same again.
Critics
Some critics mean us well and genuinely give us their opinion, in an effort to help. Other critics, especially online, will simply want to attack us in order to satisfy a need they have, which they can’t fulfil in their offline world.
In either case, we can’t do anything of value or substance and keep them all happy.
Nor should we try to keep the critics happy!
Life is too precious for us to waste it, being less than we can be, just so we can be invisible to critics.
Yes, we need to listen to feedback. It may well offer us a valuable lesson. However, there’s a world of difference between monitoring feedback when we are taking action, and allowing fear of criticism to stop us from even getting started.
Photo: Banalities
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Screw the critics!
I have yet to meet a critic who was worth listening to. If what you’re doing is working for you then do it. If not then seek advice.
If I had listened to my own critics I’d be flipping burgers still. You know, there’s an irresistible need most of us have…
The need to feel superior to others…
Some of us work hard in our lives to better ourselves. We build our castles one brick at a time…
The others work hard to bring everybody down to their level.
Again, one brick at a time…
Hi Courtney. I love your idea of ‘one brick at a time.’ A wonderful, visual way to explain the point.
Thanks for the comment, sir.
As Teddy Roosevelt would say:
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”
(Theodore Roosevelt, Paris, April 23, 1910)
That’s a wonderful quote, David.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Powerful words, for sure.
I think in today’s world, most of the critics are interested in attacking a professional’s work rather than criticizing in a constructive way. It’s because attacking people is easy and is a surefire way of attracting instant attention or recognition.
If you have adequate technical expertise and full trust in yourself, you should never care about critics and keep moving ahead.
Thanks for this great piece of advice, Jim.
You’re welcome, Obaidul.
Depends upon the critic. I listen to every criticism. It helps me to evaluate a person. People give most away about themselves when they are talking about other people. Their discretion, decency and empathy. As to critics of me, of course there are very few of these
but whether I take on board the criticism depends on the level of respect I have for that person. If I don’t respect them then their opinion can have no consequence. If they are someone I admire for their achievements and their outlook, then all constructive criticism most welcome!! Even if it sometimes makes me blub like a girl!
An interesting way of looking at it, Teena. Thanks for the feedback.