Feedback Is The Breakfast Of Champions
Rocks For Breakfast, Again?
Feedback — it’s like a raw, uncut gem. Most people see it and think, “Hey, that’s a rock.” But the savvy few? They see a diamond in the rough.
Understand this: Feedback is gold. In a world teeming with BS, someone giving you honest, even harsh criticism is handing you a cheat sheet to success. It’s an opportunity, not a slap in the face. It’s the market talking. And in business, as in life, the market is the ultimate arbiter. It’s brutal, it’s often unkind, but it’s always right.
So, how do you turn this “rock” into a “diamond?”
Simple — not easy, but simple. Embrace it. Don’t get defensive. That’s amateur hour. When someone criticizes your work, your first reaction should be gratitude. They’re doing you a favor. They’re saving you the most precious resource: time. Time you’d otherwise waste heading down a dead-end road.
Next, analyze it. Strip away the emotion, the ego bruising. Look at feedback the way a scientist looks at data. It’s not about you, it’s about your output. What can be better? What’s missing? This is market research handed to you on a silver platter.
Now, iterate. This is where the real magic happens. Take that criticism, that data, and use it. Refine your product, your pitch, your whatever. Iterate fast. Fail fast. The faster you fail, the quicker you learn. And in today’s hyper-speed world, the ability to learn and adapt at breakneck speed is your superpower.
One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other
But let’s get real for a second. Not all feedback is created equal. You’ve got to have the discernment to know what to take on board and what to toss. Listen to your customers, your peers, the people who genuinely want you to succeed.
But the trolls, the haters? Forget them. You’re running a business, not a popularity contest.
And here’s the kicker — giving feedback is just as crucial as receiving it.
But here’s the thing: be constructive, not destructive. Your job isn’t to tear down; it’s to build up. To guide, to mentor. That’s leadership. That’s how you create a culture of continuous improvement, of relentless pursuit of excellence.
Play With Your Food
Feedback is the breakfast of champions. It’s the raw material from which you forge your path to greatness. Embrace it, analyze it, iterate on it, and know whom to listen to. That’s not just how you grow; that’s how you win. And in the grand game of business and life, winning is not just the goal. It’s everything.
Consider that maybe our mothers were wrong. We are not that great. But we have the potential to be better. Feedback is your roadmap to that potential. Use it.
Brian Fink is the author of The Main Thing is The Main Thing. It’s his way of galvanizing your focus to bring your life’s work to reality. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of dispelling the constant barrage of interruptions, pings, and distractions that take you away from realizing your main thing.