I’ve never thought about it quite like this before…
When someone criticises something you have put your heart and soul into, they are actually criticising your heart.
And your soul.
So of course, it’s going to really hurt.
Hurt.
Knowing this, it puts us in an awkward position on the subject of creativity.
Because the more creative you are, the more you’re going to get hurt if someone doesn’t like what you do.
So if you want to reduce the risk of hurting, all you have to do is to put less of your heart and soul into being creative.
It’s much safer.
The risk is reduced.
The worst that can happen is that this thing you’ve been half-hearted about is attacked.
And because you’ve not given your heart and soul you have the perfect get-out.
You can shrug, smile and openly admit that you didn’t invest all you could.
So of course they’re not going to like it.
Perfect!
Perfect.
But it’s not perfect, is it.
It’s far from it.
So, I’d advise, do one or both of these two things instead.
- Learn to live with the hurt.
- Don’t listen.
The price for not doing this is to be ordinary.
The prize for doing it?
The possibility that, one day, you will be considered extraordinary.
Extraordinary hurts.
But it’s worth it.
3 Comments
Eventually, being and loving being creative and galloping on with your life, never looking back, means the hurt rarely catches up with you. And then not for long. Grief is another thing, of course. 🙂
Yes. I am with you. Thank you Tony!
If you have put your heart and soul into it the thing you have done needs no other justification. If someone doesn’t like it, that’s fine, let them.
If you are pushing boundaries, obliterating indifference, taking a stand, explicitly stating what you believe in and why you are doing what you are doing – then some people will hate it BUT some will also love it. Your audience selects itself.
Maybe the haters just don’t share your aesthetic, maybe they simply prefer another flavour, maybe they are so insecure that their default stance is to lambast all those who are more willing to put their heads above the parapet than they are.
Leave them to it. It is pointless trying to change the mind or opinion of someone whose position is in opposition to yours. Just keep doing what you’re doing with even more determination and passion, put in your sinews and guts, as well as your heart and soul.
Your clarity of purpose and consistency of delivery will eventually act as a magnet to those that feel the same.
Then your gang is bigger than their gang and you can chase them off the playground.