Getting feedback

‘It’s not good enough.’

These words are like a battering ram to your heart, especially when they’re used about a creative project that you’ve spent a lot of time on.

Feedback is always hard to take. It’s also difficult not to take it personally and want to argue why it’s wrong. I get embarrassed if I get feedback pointing out where the weaknesses are in any of my projects even though I know no project is perfect and even though I know, deep down inside, that what they’re saying is true.

But I’m not my project and any feedback - if it comes from someone I respect - is only ever about helping my project improve.

Everyone gets too close to their own project and someone who’s prepared to take the time to highlight the weaknesses in it is saving you time and pointing you towards future joy.

It’s still your project. You don’t have to take every single note. You get to choose which one is most important and how to fix it (and often when you fix that, the others start to mend themselves).

There’s only one response to good feedback and that’s ‘thank you’.