How to Deal With Critics

Acknowledge the opinion and then, move on.

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We say we don’t care what people think, but we do, and it messes with our creative process. How do I know? Have you ever felt stuck, cranking out the same looks? Yeah, that’s it. Letting others' opinions drive your creative (and personal) path puts a damper on your talent and well-being.

And, as long as you remain unwilling to be criticized, you won’t come up with anything original. Writing this today required vulnerability. Someone out there will not like what I write, but I'm golden as long as the majority does. The school of hard knocks taught me a three-step process for dealing with unsolicited critics:

Acknowledge it—“Yeah, I heard you.”
Tell God, "Here, I’m leaving this with you.”
Move on—“It’s taken care of.”

Truth Bomb: People Don’t Care

I share this most kindly and compassionately: stop limiting your possibilities to look good for others because they don’t really care—why do you? Somewhere around 45–50, we realize we’ve been living for others, and no one was ever really thinking about us to begin with. You see their rants on social media proclaiming not to care what anyone thinks about their life, much less about their sweats and crocks.

Opinions always somehow cramp creative confidence, even if just a little. But don’t allow it to become a massive roadblock. People are too busy with their own stuff to be your full-time vigilante. What about the potential fallout you feared from your creative choices? It never happens. It’s a ghost you keep in your creative closet. Let it go.

Loosen Up Your Creative Mojo

An opinion is like a billboard you pass on the freeway. It's there for a moment, catches your attention, but quickly fades into the background, and you keep on going. Step on the gas. Your creativity is a force meant to run wild. Goof up, take risks, and make mistakes. Don’t allow your full creative potential to hide behind insecurity; it's on center stage, itching to steal the show.

Deal with opinions like you do when you feel somebody is watching you. If you acknowledge it, it will only escalate. Don’t give it any energy, and it will remain harmless. That’s how to deal with critics.