Critiques Are Positive & Constructive- Criticisms Are Not!

While it is often essential to honestly critique something or someone, very often individuals merely use it as an excuse to criticize something. While a critique reviews something, and can either be positive, negative or a combination, people who merely criticize are very often merely being negative, and intentionally looking for what's wrong. While a critique is often constructive, criticism simply for "criticism's sake" is generally not.

It is almost always easier to criticize, because one can always find some fault or something wrong, if that is one's intent. Very few things or people are perfect in every way. Therefore, it is generally easy to look for what's wrong under any circumstances, even though criticism that is not constructive, and does not give a better viable alternative, often has very little value. When someone critiques, they give an honest evaluation - both the good and the bad - and when they critique properly, they also give recommendations about possible improvements and enhancements.

A criticism merely informs someone that something is "wrong." A critique, on the other hand, discusses what was right as well as what was wrong. Great golfers often have a "swing coach" who gives them a critique about what they see in the swing, and possible ways to improve it. If they were to simply criticize, the coach would simply look for what's wrong, and harp on the negatives. Negative thinking is almost never virtuous nor constructive or helpful.

In all aspects of life, there are people who criticize and there are people who critique. Anyone who wishes to improve his performance appreciates an honest critique. On the other hand, individuals who merely criticize are often "jealous" people who often don't like something either because it hasn't been done that way before, it is innovative, or merely that they didn't think of it. Criticizers are often negative people who look to criticize everything, often as a way of "propping themselves up."

Unfortunately, there are generally far more individuals who merely criticize than those who give valuable critiques. Doers and people who are motivated to get something accomplished must make every effort to stay away from the negative, can't do- oriented people who "drag down" good ideas, by telling you every reason in the world why it can't be done. Those people who merely criticize are generally the people who do very little positive in terms of accomplishment, and use excuse after excuse, and blame others for their own inadequacies.

Stay away from the excuse makers and nay-sayers. They often suffer from terminal "excusitis"! These type of people search for why something cannot be done, or what "might" go wrong, rather than how to get it done in the best way. Excuses and blaming others rarely achieves anything positive.