September 11

Negative Feedback

I read a bad review of my podcast today. I normally don’t pay much attention to reviews, but I was doing some research that required me to be in a podcast app, and it was there right in front of me. Since I’d already done the unusual and read a review, I thought I would do a little exper- iment by copying the reviewer’s username and pasting it along with the word “review” in the search bar of my web browser.

You know what I found? A bunch of negative reviews, all one star, all disparaging various podcasts. Not a single one was positive.

You will receive negative feedback for your work, and it’s important to receive that feedback with grace and perspective. In this case, per- spective means understanding that rather than building something of their own, some people just spend their energy tearing down the work of others. Maybe it’s out of personal creative frustration, maybe it’s a ven- detta against those who are producing work, or maybe it’s just a mis- placed sense of when an opinion even matters.

When you receive negative feedback, pause and ask, “Is the intent here to help me get better or to tear me down?” If it’s the former, learn from it, apply it, and move on with life. If it’s the latter, sweep it into the dustbin and, again, move on with life.

Learn and apply what you can from feedback, then move on with your life. Don’t dwell on it.

QUESTION

is there negative feedback you’ve received that’s bothering you more than it should?