The Feedback Is Worth More Than The Praise
I don’t just want clients to tell me how amazing the work is.
Of course I appreciate it when someone says a session was transformational, or that a photo finally made them feel seen—but it’s not about collecting compliments.
There’s more value in quality feedback than a victory lap. I learned that valuable lesson years ago while in my first semester of grad school.
We had to submit a short video project for critique. I poured everything into mine—wrote it, directed it, edited the hell out of it. I was proud of what I made and my cohort was impressed by the results.
When it was time to screen everyone’s work in class, some of the other submissions were clearly slapped together. But, they got A’s and B’s on their work.
Mine? He gave me a D. What! Are you kidding me?
I was pissed. My classmates were surprised.
Later that day, I spotted the professor sitting at the back of the bus. I walked over, still hot over it, and asked why he tanked my grade when I’d clearly put in a ton of effort.
He looked up and said, matter of factly:
“Because I know what you’re capable of. And I’m not going to let you get away with less.”
Sure, it was a bitter pill, but that was the moment I understood where he was coming from, what he was trying to instill in me, and what quality feedback really looks like.
It’s not about the pat on the back. It’s not about protecting your ego. It’s not about rewarding effort.
It’s about holding a mirror up to your potential, and building an unquenchable thirst for better with every single project.
If you're building a business, writing a book, designing a course, or reinventing your brand, stop looking for the people who will always tell you, “This is amazing.”
Start looking for the people who care enough to say: “You can go deeper. You can do better. You’re not done yet.”
That’s not criticism. That’s commitment.
The experts who are taken seriously - and paid seriously - are the ones who stop chasing gold stars, and start chasing growth and evolution.
Who’s in your corner giving you real feedback right now—not just compliments? And are you strong enough to hear it?