Nothing is worse than turning in a piece of work or performing a task and not having it perceived the way you imagined. When you put in so much effort, it’s easy for any type of criticism to really get you down. Trust me when I say everyone has been there at one point in his or her career. The question is, how do you handle that criticism? You can internalize it and let the comments ruin your day, or you can see it as a challenge. Here are some fool-proof ways of taking criticism and using it to your advantage later on down the road.
Criticism is a Guide
The best part about criticism is that it clearly defines what a person or business is looking for. Nothing is worse than going into a job not knowing how to adapt yourself to the companies voice. By getting the feedback on your content, you can better fit the ethos of the brand. This also gives you an edge over those around you as, odds are, they may feel just as lost as you do. You will be able to create more clear and engaging work!
Gauges Personal Growth
You can also use the edits you’ve received on that paper or project as a way to see how far you have come. When you first write or create something there are always mistakes. It’s unavoidable and perfection is quite hard to achieve. Make sure you take in all of the critiques and use them as a gauge when the next draft comes to you. Growth can be a slow process, but it’s worth it in the long run.
There Is Always a Silver Lining
Better yet, look for the positive side of the criticism. The whole ‘is the cup half full or half empty’ debate is totally real and can shift your perspective. Let’s say you were told that your sentence structure was off. Okay, easy fix, but at least that means the content is on point! This idea of positivity can also be applied to those less than amazing life moments. You don’t have to dwell on the negative side of anything if you don’t want to.
No One Is Criticizing You
Always remember that the feedback is about your work and not you. It’s second nature to see any type of negativity as an attack on you personally, but really it’s not. You have to remember that everyone has someone to answer to and overall quality of work is important. Do you think your boss feels good when they have to tell you they do not like an article pitch? Nope, but it is their job to give you the criticism in hopes that you will do better. No one wants to see you fail, so don’t even think about it that way.
When the going gets rough, and you feel like everyone wants to take a stab at your work, remember that the opposite is true. Criticism is a way to help you grow professionally, personally, and is by no means mean to be taken to heart.
How do you get a handle on critical comments about your work? Sound off in the comments below!
Opening Image: Katarina Brunette
