SPEND LESS TIME WITH YOUR CRITICS

Spend less time with your critics. I’ve never met a critic who means well, and I’m certain you haven’t met one who had your best interest at heart. The famous film critic, Joel Siegel, who worked for ABC’s morning news show Good Morning America for over 25 years, skewed my plans about movies just before or after they arrive in theaters. After I had watched a movie, he gave two thumbs out of five that I thought should have received full marks changed the way I process reviews from critics. When I first learned about professional movie critics I was shocked to know that people get paid to be negative. I nod my head because I know so many critics who offer their services for free. Boy if only they had this awareness. Joel’s opinions impacted me a few times, but I learned my lesson early. You might say some critics are right, but that sounds like an oxymoron because according to Merriam-Webster, “A critic is someone inclined to find fault.” A judgmental person always has something wrong to say about you, your work, or both. If you can’t dodge them, do what Governor Andrew Cuomo encouraged New Yorkers to do when meteorologists’ predictions for a severe snowstorm didn’t come through, “Take their comments with a grain of salt.” To make your life easier, do the same.