As I mentioned I’m reading “Share Your Work!” by Austin Kleon. In chapter 8, Learn To Take A Punch, he’s talking about how to take criticism. Having a background in both theatre and a degree from art school plus countless hours in writing groups I connect with this chapter a lot. Learning to take a “punch” is key.

But it also got me to thinking about a rule I developed for myself that’s been key in learning what criticism I should listen to and what I should ignore.

I call it the 1, 2, 3 Filter.

Very catchy, I know.

Simply put whenever I get feedback from those I’ve sought after I pay close attention to what is brought up. If I only hear a comment once, I can feel pretty confident in ignoring it. Most likely the criticism is a personal preference and won’t break whatever it is I’m working on if left unchanged.

If it’s brought up twice, by different people, then I perk up. That means it’s worth taking another pass at it but there is no pressure to change anything. More often than not I keep it the same but the note is kept on file just in case.

At three, that means we have a true pattern and the criticism has real merit. This is where the work is. I’ll dig into notes, see how I can address the issue, and fix the problem.

There is a catch here, however. Be careful about listening to HOW you should fix it. Remember, you have the full vision in your head. Trust that vision. Only take the criticism that there is a problem and find your way to address it. Unless this is coming from a trusted source, a collaborator, or you’ve asked for help, don’t take the advice on how to fix the problem.

I hope this method of filtering critiques is helpful. It has been for me. Try and employ it, trust your instincts, and go make something great.