The Critic

On your quest for positivity, you’re bound to run into many pitfalls – the detractors, the nay-sayers, those who will try to bring you “down to earth”.

The critic is one such character you need to learn to avoid. You probably know this one better than you think – you may have been this character in a previous life. But if we’re moving towards a more positive America, this is one type that needs to be deported.

So who is this critic? The critic knows all. Whatever someone else does, he’s done it better. If you are excited about your new car, he’ll tell you he’s had faster cars, or you could have gotten a better deal. In his eyes, the only person who does things right is he.

But the thing you soon discover about the critic is that critics don’t create. They’re like sportsmen at a hunt club, waiting for your ideas, you work, or your excitement to bubble up, so they can shoot it out of the sky with their negativity. They’re the first ones to explain with great pride how your idea wasn’t fully thought out, or to celebrate the failures of their colleagues who stick their necks out too far.

For America to once more become a great force for good in the world, a golden searchlight cutting through the haze of doubt, we have to embrace the urge to create. We’re all born artists, inventors – creators, but over time, that drive to create gets filed down by the criticisms of others. The critic stands in the way of all of us reaching our true potential.

How do you deal with the critic? Well, the critic, like many of us, is someone who has lost their way on the road to possibility. Maybe they were criticized too much themselves, and joined the ranks of the negative rather than be targeted for ridicule. It’s important not to succumb to the urge to join in the party! Sure, picking on others can give us feel better about ourselves for a short time, but the lasting effect is a dark, brooding demeanor that people find de-motivating and even oppressive. The good news is, as someone who has committed to a better world through positivity, you can show them the light. It’s like fighting for the steering wheel, every time they turn the conversation towards the negative, grab the wheel and veer towards the positive. Engage them, talk about things they’re excited about, and soon they’ll feel the energy of what’s possible with a positive approach.

Before long, you’ll have a new ally – and a new partner in positivity.