Taking Criticism

Taking Criticism isn't easy for anyone and it's especially hard for me. When I put everything I have into a piece of work just to have someone say "huh, that's nice... but... I think this needs to change," I die a little inside. Those of you who have children know what I'm talking about. It's that feeling you get when their teacher says they need to improve in a certain area, or your little athlete doesn't make the tee-ball team. I put my heart and soul into my projects and when I put one out there to be scrutinized and picked apart, I forget to guard myself almost every time.

In my line of work, part of the job is to have my projects be judged and put under a microscope. You'd think that I would get used to people giving their opinions on my stuff, but it never seems to get any easier. I do everything I do within my projects because I think it's the best way to do it. Sometimes I'm right and sometimes I'm not. So when someone looks at my work and says, "This would be better if..." I feel my pride sink to the bottom of my chest.

Now I'm not defending myself in any way, I'm just stating the facts of how I feel about criticism. I know I shouldn't take things personally (especially when you're dealing with opinions that have no foundation in the understanding of my line of work) and I know that it doesn't mean I suck. So here's what I have to do:

1. Suck it up and finish the job

2. get more objective opinions

a. If I don't like what I hear I have to accept the fact that I need to rethink my direction and grow from it

b. If I do like what I hear... HUZZAH!!! I win.

3. push back the urge to argue about why I think they're wrong and I'm right.

a. this gets me nowhere and I just come off as a complete jerk.

4. If I am right and they don't see it... that's their problem. The issue at hand is that they need a product and they are the one's holding my paycheck... need I say more?

The point here is that criticism is good... even when it's bad. It makes us better communicators and it gives us an opportunity to get better at what we do, and even though nothing hurts more than someone picking apart my "baby", I have to let it happen. If you want to be a completely well rounded person, you have to be chiseled at from time to time... ooh that was good... I'm gonna tweet that.