At the gym this morning, I overheard someone criticizing the new T-Swift single. As my quads were burning and I was dying during the plate drives, they aired the laundry list of why they didn’t like her new single ‘ME.’
Growing up in music city, I remember my dad telling me a thousand times to be careful what you say and where you say it.
You never know whose mom brother, sister, friend, cousin, may be standing behind you in the checkout line or at the next table over. He would say.
Seems a little much right?
It could happen in this small-town-feeling kind of city, but that’s a little extreme I used to think.
But after hearing the horror stories he’s told of what he’s witnessed in this town, someone talking smack, bashing, or criticizing a song that in front of the person who was a co-writer, producer, or studio musician on the project, it’s a bit sobering.
Wow. Ouch.
AND THE EVEN GREATER LESSON HE TAUGHT ME WAS THAT THERE IS
NEVER A PLACE OR REASON TO EVER BASH SOMEONE ELSE’S
CREATIVITY.
You’re entitled to your own opinion, everyone is.
But criticizing someone's art and bashing their creative expression just because it doesn't fit your preferences isn’t necessary or needed in this world.
I know, super elementary stuff right?
Yet it struck me again today as I moved on to deadlifts and box jumps and considered my own creative endeavors, the critics I’ve encounter and even the critic I have been .
There are real critics in the world. They pay their mortgages by writing album reviews for the Rolling Stones and cash checks for millions as coaches on The Voice.
But me and you, we are not them.
We are not those critics and the world does not need us to be critics.
So let's inspire and champion creativity instead.
It may not be our particular brand or preference but I firmly believe that creativity begets creativity.
And this weary world needs all the creativity and art and inspiration our human minds and souls can bring.
Lets paint the world with the bright and bold colors of creativity by creating instead of critiquing and championing instead of criticizing.