Everyone's a Critic

For the life of me, I can't remember who stated it last week, but I was struck enough to take notes on my smart phone—Create vs. Critique. It is all too easy to have an opinion, or share what you believe is right or wrong with a situation vs. doing something about it.

• Critiquing is easy. Creation takes effort.
• Critiquing is all too often the default response. Creation takes consideration.
• Critiquing is typically negative. Creation searches for opportunity.
• Critiquing is drop and run. Creation is investment.

Clearly I am/can be/have been quite a critic. Somebody says or does something that I don't care for and I'll quickly point out my disagreement. Nothing wrong with disagreement, but is there an opportunity to take action—to do something about it? Here, I know I fall short...most of the time.

I critique my kids, my wife, my colleagues, my clients, my friends, my enemies, my church, my television, all sources of opinion and simply that which occurs while I am awake. I believe most of us don't take advantage of the our opportunities to create something. What would happen if we did?