Afraid of Criticism? Read This

"If someone can’t love you at your worst, they don’t deserve your best."

I’m not saying:
… Be unprofessional.
… Lower your standards.
… Be careless.

Quite the contrary—strive to improve, but not at the cost of perfection. Don’t let impossible standards block your voice in an attempt to avoid criticism.

We all have lessons to share. But when we’re consumed with the thought of “What will so-and-so think?” we bottleneck our impact.

No one wants to look foolish—especially in the eyes of their idols. So here’s something to consider:

What if the expert you’re trying to impress isn’t concerned with your mistakes?

A friend of mine is a published writer. They once said:
“I have compassion for every stage of writing, no matter how good or bad, because I understand the courage it takes to put it out into the world.”

My wife is a professional cook who’s worked in some of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Oddly enough, we rarely get invited to dinner at people’s homes.

Why? Because they’re afraid to cook for her.

Her attitude, however, is always this:
“I’m just grateful to eat someone else’s food. I’m not the judgmental one—that’s my husband!”

What if the criticism you’re trying to avoid isn’t even about you?

If you’ve been around me for a while, you’ve probably heard me share the story of my uncle berating me—and my parents—at my cousin’s wedding in front of 200 guests after I dropped out of school to pursue business.

Years later, in coaching, my mentor reframed that moment for me.

He said:
“What if your uncle’s anger wasn’t really about you? If you believe that we all mirror the best and worst traits in each other, what if your choice to pursue your dreams reminded him of where he chose not to?”

Final thoughts …

Progress isn’t made in the absence of flaws—it’s made because of them.

Criticism is often more about the critic than it is about you. And the experts you’re so worried about impressing? They’re likely rooting for you more than you realize.

So, let go of the fear. Start where you are. Make mistakes. Be proud of your imperfections.

Because your imperfect voice is still powerful—and it’s exactly what someone out there needs to hear.

Cheers,

PS: We’re already 9 days into the ‘21 Days to Get More Clients’ series, but it’s not too late to join! Catch up on all the details and past lessons here.