Falling hurts from a higher point

“The products and services that get talked about are the ones that are worth talking about.” –Seth Godin, Small is the New Big

So should your next challenge be boring or remarkable? “If I am criticized for this, will I suffer any measurable losses? If the only side effect from criticism is that you will feel bad about the criticism, then you have to compare that bad feeling with the benefits you’ll get from actually doing something worth doing. Being remarkable is exciting, fun, profitable and great for you career. Feeling bad wears off.” (Godin 53).

And once you have taken the remarkable path, you have to ask yourself how to create something that the critics with criticize. “When 3M launches a sequel to the Post-it, or Microsoft unveils a new service, our expectations are set very high indeed. This is partially due to all of the hype: Hype attracts criticism the way that politicians attract lobbyist.”

I feel like I have quoted Seth a lot tonight, but it is simply because I have found a lot of inspiration and hope in what he has had to say about criticism. To hear true criticism is to walk up to your worst enemy and get their opinion. Although friends would tell you their opinion, they might sugar-coat it, or restrain themselves in order to spare your feelings. And I would like to think that I don’t have enemies out there, but if you were to come across someone that doesn’t appreciate your work, to listen to that criticism and try to take something away from it is better than to only listen to the praise. I would like more criticism in my life. It is the only way we become better.