Constructive criticism is good and can improve your craft. We should listen to feedback, when it’s good and actually tells you specific things you can improve. However, blanket “good/bad” judgments are not helpful. Some are downright harmful. If you are creating something, be it a painting, a song, or a film, not everyone is going to like it. Some people, especially on the internet, are just plain rude. They don’t think of the time, effort, and heart you put into something and can easily tear it down in seconds. But did that person take the time to make their own creative contribution? No. If they are taking the time to tear somebody else down, that really says more about what’s in that person’s heart than it does your own work.
Maybe the anonymous comments are easy to ignore for some, but what about the comments from someone in the field who’s experienced? They’re already “somebody” and it’s presumed that they know what they’re talking about. The big name hasn’t responded, so maybe they didn’t like it? Or they have responded, but basically said you’re not good enough. Multiple famous artists have been told they were not good enough by somebody along the way. Michael J. Fox was told early on that nobody would want to see his face except on a lunch box. Well, once he became famous, he had a lunchbox made with his face on it and sent to this person and the guy keeps it in his office! He was wrong! Before they became famous, even The Beatles were rejected! Words can hurt, especially from someone you admire and/or respect. You may be inclined to listen to the person with more authority, because they have so many more years of experience than you do. They must know what they’re talking about, right? Wrong. We ALL make mistakes, including them. If you listen to those people, you might as well give up now because you’ll find them everywhere. But what do YOU think? Do you like what you do? Do others in general seem to respond well to it? Show them they’ve misjudged you. Psychology says we tend to listen to the one negative comment over the 100 positive ones. But knowing about that phenomenon, we can consciously choose not to, and make an effort to change our thinking. That is easier said than done. As if we didn’t get enough criticism from the outside world, there’s also yourself to worry about. Maybe you’re waiting for a response and you second-guess yourself. Or you make something and maybe everyone around you tells you it’s good, but you think they’re just being nice. You know you didn’t get something quite right. That part is terrible. They think you did something on purpose when it came about by accident. They think you’re amazing when you think what you put out is amateur or could be better. People will criticize anything you do, but sometimes your harshest critic is yourself. Comedian John B. Crist talks about negative self-talk and insecurities in the following clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM5hHAPyKsQ No matter what you do in life, you’re always going to have supporters and detractors. Some people will encourage you and tell you keep going. Others will bring you down and say you can’t do it. Whatever the “it” may be, you won’t get anywhere if you listen to people. You have to know what you want and whether it’s worth the effort. Have fun on the journey of trying and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We all make them, but we should learn from them. If one person REALLY loves what you made/did, when everyone else hardly seems to take notice, enjoy that person’s enthusiasm and keep going. You can’t please everyone. Are you looking for applause and attention? Or do you genuinely enjoy what you do? Don’t let fear or self-doubt stop you. Everybody gets better with time and practice no matter what the skill or field. We can’t all excel in every area, but some things are worth pursuing if you are passionate about them. What’s your passion? And if you’re a believer, more importantly, would God approve? Comments are closed.
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DisclaimerWhile I love open discussions, not all internet users are kind. I'd like to build people up, not have others cut people down. Therefore, no comments, but feel free to email me if there's something you'd like to share with me. Archives
July 2020
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