I did a video a while back that ended up becoming my most-viewed video. It was about people who talk too much. Clearly, the topic struck a chord because it got a lot of attention. But along with that attention came comments—and the majority of them were negative or even downright mean.
It was shocking. Not one person paid for the advice, yet many criticized me as if I had personally offended them. If you watch the video, you’ll see it’s actually very considerate and meant to help people become better communicators—not to shame anyone.
What surprised me most was that nearly none of the comments said, “I tried that and it didn’t work for me,” or “Have you considered this approach?” They weren’t thoughtful critiques. They were emotional reactions.
So I bit my tongue and took a different viewpoint. The fact that so many people reacted means the message got through. It means people watched it. And when you put ideas out into the world that cause people to think—even if the reaction isn’t pleasant at first—you're doing something right.
Criticism is always 10 times louder than praise, especially online. That means for every negative comment, there may be many people who watched quietly and actually learned something. So instead of responding emotionally, I smiled. I realized: It’s working. I’m getting people to think.
If you want to be successful, you have to expect criticism. Persuasion—getting people to think differently—is the key to progress. And any time you introduce a new idea, people push back. That’s human nature.
If you want to be comfortable, that’s fine. If you don’t like criticism, that’s okay. Just don’t expect to get very far. Growth and impact require courage.
So the next time someone criticizes you, don’t take it personally. Quietly thank them. Their discomfort is often proof that you are making an impact—and, in a small way, changing the world.