The older I get the less I worry about trying to prove folks wrong.

There comes a time in your life when you realize that the “work” is more important than the critique. The critique is needed but it is only there to make the work better.  My work should never suffer because of the critique. (Truthfully, if your work is never critiqued then you are probably not very successful at your work.) But never let the critique hinder you from the work because it is the work that makes the difference. The old adage goes those who can’t do the work critique the work.

What is problematic is the fact that the critique is valued more than the actual work in society today.  The work is not even deemed valuable unless it survives the critique gauntlet.  You could have motivated ten teenagers to excel in school but someone will stand on the outside and say well he/she could have done a better job if they would have done… The actual work has been trump by the critique and the success of the work is overlooked.

I get the whole thing of critique but there are some things that just don’t need to be critiqued.

•  First, if you are not willing to do the very work that you are critiquing then your critique has no validity. You are a just seeking attention with blatant disrespect for the work.
• Second, if your critique is just plain slander than your critique is not warranted and serves no purpose.
• Third, if you are critique is based upon a personal bias then your critique is not viable.

Bottom line is that many people are giving criticism about things they have no clue about and passing it off as pseudo-intellect. Critiques are needed but never at the expense of doing the work. A critique just for the sake of critiquing is a waste of time.

Let’s spend more time doing the work.