Are You Your Own Worst Critic?

Spend any appreciable amount of time on the internet getting feedback on your work and you will likely have some harsh or unpleasant interactions. And yet, the harshest critic you encounter might actually be yourself. Is that the case for you? Check out this excellent video that discusses that issue.

Coming to you from Evan Ranft, this great video examines the issue of being one's own worst critic. It is no secret that a lot of creatives are very hard on themselves. This can be a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, being too critical of yourself can be detrimental to both your self-esteem and your motivation. It does not benefit one to be constantly negative to themselves. On the other hand, one can be self-supportive while still maintaining a high standard. Being willing to be critical of their own work and honest about its deficiencies is what one needs to be able to improve and grow as a creative. Every successful photographer I have ever met had a healthily critical attitude toward their own work — a strong motivation to get every last detail right, almost bordering on obsession. It is something well worth thinking about in your own work. Check out the video above for Ranft's full thoughts.