EVALUATE FEEDBACK CRITICALLY
на канале: Inspireful
Not long before she released an album that sold over ten million copies, Madonna received a rejection letter from the president of Millennium Records that said, “The only thing missing from this project is the material.”
Had Madonna allowed that letter to define her singing and songwriting abilities, she might have given up.
But fortunately, she kept looking for opportunities in the music industry.
Soon after that rejection letter, she landed a record deal that launched her career.
Within a couple of decades, Madonna was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the bestselling female recording artist of all time.
She holds numerous other records, including the top-touring female artist of all time, and she’s ranked second on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists—second only to the Beatles.
Almost every successful person likely has a similar story of rejection.
In 1956, Andy Warhol tried to give one of his paintings to the Museum of Modern Art, but they declined to accept it even for free.
Fast-forward to 1989, and his paintings had become so successful that he earned his own museum. The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to a single artist.
Clearly, everyone has an opinion, but successful people don’t allow one person’s opinion to define them.
Retaining your power is about evaluating feedback to determine if it has any validity.
While criticism can sometimes open our eyes to how others perceive us so we can make positive change—a friend points out a bad habit, or a spouse helps you see your selfish behavior—at other times, criticism is a reflection of the critic.
Angry people may choose to offer harsh criticism quite regularly just because it relieves their stress.
Or individuals with low self-esteem may feel better about themselves only when they put other people down.
So it’s important to really consider the source before making any decisions about how you want to
proceed.
When you receive criticism or feedback from others, wait a beat before responding.
If you’re upset or emotionally reactive, take the time to calm down.