Copy
View this email in your browser

Friend, Happy Monday!

My goal with this newsletter is to bring joy and
insight to all the creatives out there.


Please invite your family & friends to subscribe and be part of the fun, too!

Don't forget to answer the question below.

Where do you fall on the criticism spectrum?  Do you think criticism is helpful or hurtful? 

I look forward to reading your responses 🎉

LISTEN NOW!
I would be so grateful if you would tell one friend about my new song. It goes a long way. 
Quote of the Week: 

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

-Sylvia Plath

Song of the Week:
"THE DRILL" by Caitlin Quisenberry 
Story of the Week:


“Criticism is a Double-Edged Sword”

 

Double-edged sword is a metaphor meaning something that has or can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences.  Criticism fits this metaphor perfectly.  Constructive criticism coming from a place of love and help can be very beneficial, but if it’s coming from a social media troll or a flippant comment of someone who isn’t qualified to make such judgements, it can be hurtful, imped one’s self-esteem, and stifle creativity.   

 

We all know the feeling of putting our blood, sweat and tears into something, just to have one small comment tear it down.  Psychologist and author, Adam Grant, says it best, “Criticizing is easy and fast.  Creating is difficult and slow.  The two hours you spent on a book or movie usually took two years to produce.  Anyone can tear down someone else’s work.  The true test of insight is whether you can help them improve it or build something of your own.”  Being an artist, I can really relate to this statement.  The process of putting out a song is very long and tedious.  Many of my songs are written and recorded at least a year or longer before they are released out into the world.  Then in just 3 quick minutes (or less), everyone has an opinion/critique.


I appreciate Adam Grant’s words and believe that should be the gage we hold ourselves to before we give our two cents.  But there are others who have differing opinions.

 

2 schools of thought on criticism:

 

The first is “radical transparency” which is used by Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates, one of the most successful hedge funds ($140 billion in assets under management), Netflix (over 12,000 employees), and a few others.  They encourage harsh feedback, meaning the only way to truly get better is to have those around you point out what you are doing wrong.  They believe embarrassment, pain and ridicule are the only way to self-discovery of what is actually true and is the fastest path to becoming your best self.

Adam Grant, the psychologist and author I quoted above on criticism, did a great TED audio collective on criticism, where he interviewed Ray Dalio and others regarding “radical transparency”.  It’s very intriguing!  Listen HERE or click the video below.

The opposite school of thought was published in the Harvard Business Review.  It’s a collection of studies that prove criticism/harsh feedback isn’t helpful at all.  Instead, it puts us into the flight or fight mode hindering our self-esteem and squashing creativity.  Their findings show that focusing on shortcomings doesn’t enable learning; it impairs it.  On top of their scientific research, they also highlight sports teams as examples.  They discuss legendary Dallas Cowboys coach, Tom Landry, and how he turned his struggling team around.  Teams typically watch film from prior games to see how they can improve.  They learn from watching their mistakes.  Landry changed it up and only showed highlight reels of everything they did right.  Along with showcasing examples like this, the article is heavy on research and scientific measurement using control groups to prove their findings.


The Harvard Business Review: “The Feedback Fallacy” by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall can be read HERE.   

Everything in life is a double-edged sword, but also a healthy balance.  After you listen to the practice of “radical transparency” and read “The Feedback Fallacy”, I’d love to know where you fall on the criticism spectrum. 

BUY MERCH
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PRE-SAVED MY SONG! 
Here are the three winners who get to choose any 1 item for FREE:
1. Leni Black
2. Jon Bartley 
3. Don Yasuda

If you are enjoying the song I would love for you to take a look at my merch! A lot of time went into each design, as I personally created each one myself. This is a great way to show your support and also have a really cool new t-shirt, hat, coffee mug, etc. to show off. Even if you don't buy anything, I would still love to know which design is your favorite!
Current Music Report

THANK YOU

 

"THE DRILL" has 4,406 streams over the weekend.

"I Always Wanted To" has 27,703 streams.


"Nashville Stripped" has 21,oo0 streams.


"O Holy Night" has 177,490 View the visualizer here.

 "TAKE ONLY WHAT YOU NEED" has 471,729 streams!  Watch the visualizer here.

"LOVE HER OUT OF MY HEAD"  has 47,224 streams. View the music video here.

"I Will, I Swear, I Do" has 56,201  streams! Check out the lyric video here. 

“WHAT IF” has 32,797 streams. Watch the music video here!


 That’s all YOU!!!  THANK YOU ALL for your continued support & streams on my music!!!


My New Amazon Storefront:
I just started my own Amazon storefront. I'm hoping this will be a great way to make money to help fund my music, as well as create a space for you and all your shopping needs.  I'll be adding to this daily, so make sure to keep checking in. 
 
Question of the Week:
 

Reply directly to this email.

Where do you fall on the criticism spectrum?  Do you think criticism is helpful or hurtful? 

I look forward to reading your responses 🎉

Let's connect on the socials!
Instagram
Spotify
Website
YouTube
Facebook






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Caitlin Quisenberry · PO BOX 493 · Franklin, Tennessee 37065 · USA