As Stephen mentioned last week, we recently attended Jon Acuff’s Quitter Conference.
And.
It.
Was.
Awesome.
We left feeling energized and excited about our ideas for Youth Workin’ It and our youth-work related dreams. And while there were a few things for me that stood out when reading Jon’s book and at the conference, one thing I wanted to share with you this week is about ‘Critic’s Math’.
Critic’s math is 1 Insult + 1,000 Compliments = 1 Insult.
Jon was discussing it in the context of pursuing your dreams and particularly about reviews of his books on Amazon. He focuses on the one 1-star review rather than all the 5-star reviews.
It’s very easy to do this in your youth work too…
You dwell on the one youth that doesn’t have a significant change in your program. You forget about the countless youth whose lives you are changing by being loving, kind, present, funny and patient.
The one colleague that said they didn’t like this game or that activity. You forget the colleagues that replicate and share your games with their groups.
The one volunteer that doesn’t like your leadership style. You forget the volunteers that turn up week in and week out because they believe in you and your mission.
The one parent that doesn’t like your T-shirt and shorts combo. You forget the parents that trust you with their most precious treasures for hours, days or weeks at a time.
The one teen that stopped going to church after they graduated. You forget about the impact that one teen you did help lead to faith is having now in other parts of the world.
Don’t let critic’s math keep you from doing the amazing work that you’re already attempting, starting or doing. Be willing to reflect and make changes to your programs, practice and leadership style when it’s appropriate and necessary, but don’t get hung up on just the one.
Unless of course you’re telling that Starfish Story, then it’s pretty much all you’ve got to work with.
Question: Do you sometimes have a hard time with critic’s math? Let us know in the comments below.
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