Not to critics.
There’s an annual awards pageant for TV actors, producers and writers; for movie actors; for Broadway actors – and each is televised and eagerly viewed by the public.
There’s no such awards show for the critics.
If you visit Washington DC (I am 45 minutes from the city), you can visit the Lincoln Memorial.
There is no memorial for the many newspaper pundits and others who viciously criticized Lincoln for his every act, from conduct of war to abolishing slavery.
There’s no critic’s head on Mt. Rushmore. And, by the way, there’s rarely any profit in being a critic either. Most critics are very poorly paid, because what they do requires very little skill and even less talent.
Any fool can criticize. It takes some doing to get criticized.
Any moron can sit in an audience and make fun of Trump’s hair or criticize his speech as simplistic or harsh – but they forgot they are sitting on a folding chair with 20,000 others; only Trump is up on stage. I’ve always kept that in mind about my own speaking.
I have a few critics (yes, I know hard to believe) and two of them continue to attempt to invade our turf. If I had a dollar for every such critic that has accosted me in one way or another over the years, I’d be rich. Well, actually I am rich, largely thanks to ignoring ALL of them. But I’d be richer.
Fools will invade your turf too.
If you haven’t already enjoyed something akin to being criticized, don’t fret – you will. And you too need to decide to ignore it.
If you want helpful feedback, by all means seek it out but only from people qualified by their own SUCCESSFUL and relevant experience to give it, who you can trust not to have their own agenda, such as polishing their ego by peeing on your self-esteem.
Otherwise, focus on doing the best you can, focus on the people who appreciate your contributions, and with the rest, “shake the dust from your feet” and move on.
Believe me, you can’t please everybody. Not even the majority. You’ll make your money just as I do, from a profoundly small minority.
Never forget it.
