I recall 6 years ago. 2013. I sat in Muhamma, India. My friend helped goad me to write my first eBook. I was unclear on the eBook; I wrote it mainly because he nudged me to write it. This was a year before I created Blogging From Paradise. Anyway, the eBook sold a wee bit after 4 months. I trashed it. I do recall hearing feedback from some circles; not too kind. I paid it no mind but in truth, these people nudged me in a different direction. Versus fighting these critics, I thanked them, looking back, because they helped me gain clarity. Getting clear led to the launch of Blogging From Paradise.
Why Thank Critics?
Critics can point you in a better, clearer, different direction if you listen to them. Sometimes, you listen and learn how they are just unhappy people who want to take you down with them. Ignore them, but thank them for developing your compassion and empathy. Sometimes, critics pick at your fears by exposing fundamental flaws leading to certain failure. I sold 4 eBooks in 4 months, with this eBook, because I was attached to it, I had no vision and worst of all, I was mainly trying to make money with the eBook. Critics showed me these fears-faults so I could drop the eBook like a hot potato to create something, fun, freeing and meaningful, the following months, when I created Blogging From Paradise.
Could I ever have created Blogging From Paradise if I obsessed over promoting a subpar eBook, just to shut up my critics and prove they were wrong? Nope. I would be giving my attention and energy to being AGAINST whom I feared versus being FOR fun, freedom, love, and ultimately, Blogging From Paradise. My critics helped me face fears to release said fears so I could become more successful. Critics unearth yokes you need to feel, anchors you need to release, to reach the next stage of your blogging growth.
In my eBook:
6 Life Lessons I Learned from Nasty Critics
I mention how I wrote the eBook because critics lobbed a few negative reviews my way. What happened? I fielded the reviews, paid close attention to feelings arising as I read each review, felt fear-pain and then, proceeding from a more fear-less and pain-less vibe, I sprinted forward versus crawling forward or walking forward. Thanks critics. Once again, these folks helped me purge some fears so I could help more folks and be more successful. What a simple, clean process. Of course, if you are busy fighting critics you cannot thank them for their service. Nor can you feel gratitude for their fear-clearing if you gang up on them with a bunch of your friends. Fighting creates resistance, and resistance blocks your blogging success.
Good old fashioned openness is the path to greater happiness, freedom and success in blogging when you receive criticism. Thank these folks for helping you get more clear. Give them props for unearthing fears you wished not to face, feel and release. Be grateful at honest feedback they offer through their own prism of pain and fear. I thanked those unhappy folks who unleashed on my eBook 6 years ago, because it was not me, this read, and they helped me trash the eBook so I could move in a new, freeing direction.
Thank critics. They offer you valued service, even if packaged in a nasty number.
Hi Ryan,
you should thank your critic because they look at your content more objectively than you. They don’ have rose-colored glasses and can tell you where you’re making mistakes. Even if the critic are malspiritied and write to hurt, embarrass and put down; even then they can point you to a mistake you made.
Thank them by becoming better and better:)