Feedback is everywhere. Everyone will offer up their advice, unsolicited or otherwise, on every aspect of your life. It can be incredibly helpful to collect these critiques and opinions. It can also be downright dangerous and soul-crushing. So what’s a thoughtful, sensitive, eager-to-always-improve person to do with all these opinions? Keep what bolsters you up and throw away the rest.
This doesn’t mean that we should ignore feedback that gives us ideas for places we can improve; it just means we should only take feedback that’s clear and constructive. Recently I got feedback that praised my enthusiasm, then in the next breath said I should consider being less enthusiastic so I appear more grounded, and then in the next breath said I was really grounded. Huh?! I thanked the person for their feedback and then left it right there where I found it.
I’m all for feedback because I’m such a huge fan of continuous improvement. However, the only feedback that helps us improve is feedback that’s clear, concise, and given with a sense of support. If those 3 criteria aren’t met, do yourself a favor – accept it with grace, push it aside, and move on. Focus your energies on doing the work you’re meant to do with all the magnificence that is you.
Christa Avampato 