Realize this: We live in a world where thousands of people can instantly give you feedback on anything you do.
A few years ago, you could write a book, and only the people who really hated you would take the time to write you hate mail. Now, anyone can hop on Twitter and thrash you to pieces without even breaking a sweat. It’s a new world we live in with unlimited connectivity. But we weren’t meant to hear all that negativity.
Run a project by any person in the world. They’ll be able to pick out at least ten things they think you should change. That’s just life. But when you hear two hundred people telling you what they would change, you’re going to get depressed. You aren’t meant to handle that much criticism.
Some people let criticism fuel them on. They don’t just live by the attitude of “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” They turn it into: Sticks and stones my break my bones, but you’ll eat your words when I succeed.
I love this quote from David Brinkley:
A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.
It’s a defiant, even rebellious, attitude that says you’ll succeed even when the world is against you. It’s a romantic notion. But I’ve never really been able to abide by that. Words (and bricks) do hurt me.
Sure, there are times I can let the haters fuel me on. But that’s rare. More often haters discourage me and put me in an unhappy place. Each negative word chips away at my resolve until there’s nothing left. Then I find myself unmotivated to do anything. I just want to lie in bed all day.
That’s why we need to be willing to put criticism away sometimes. We need to shut out the outside influences. We need to keep our heads down and ignore the naysayers. Then do good work.
There’s plenty of time for criticism later.
Great post, Jonathan. Criticism is best when it comes from people who care about you & who actually have valid points. The kind of criticism that tends to be found on Twitter & other social media is often fueled just by the fact that you are successful.
That’s feedback and not criticism