Throughout your career as a creative entrepreneur, you’ll probably get a good dose of two things: Advice and criticism. It’s important that you’re guided by mentors and coaches, seek advice, and learn from those who’ve gone before you. It’s also important that you are able to take criticism, constructive criticism that is, and learn from that as well. And although on the one hand they can be valuable, helpful, and spur you to greater things, the danger is they can also be destructive by derailing your motivation and ushering in confusion. Two things that a creative entrepreneur definitely doesn’t want! What you may find is that you’re getting advice from all sides. Everyone has their own viewpoint. Many people think they have more knowledge than you do and freely hand out their opinions on what you should be doing. People you don’t even know can criticize your efforts, and that can sometimes just come from jealousy or envy and have no constructive value at all. As a creative entrepreneur, it’s crucial that you stay positive, focused, motivated, and feel inspired about your work and what you create. Having a plan, maintaining a positive mindset, and being organized in your approach to running your business, are vital to your success. Taking advice from too many people and allowing a critical remark to stop your momentum can leave you feeling confused and doubtful. So to keep yourself on track and deflect these touchy subjects – advice and criticism – I want you to start looking at them through a new lens so you can effectively filter out what’s helpful, and what isn’t. The first step is to avoid asking for too much advice from too many people Make sure the people you’re seeking advice from know what they’re talking about. Ask yourself if they have knowledge about your field or about what it is that you’re trying to accomplish. Seek advice and take heed of advice from experts, not necessarily everyone in your family or all your friends on Facebook! Seek and listen to expert advice, not crowd-sourced, random opinions.  The second step is to have a shield against unwanted and unhelpful criticism. Be on guard and don’t let it get inside your head and knock you off track! Again, constructive criticism can be beneficial, but before you take it to heart or act upon it, ask yourself if the person who’s giving you that constructive criticism is someone you respect and trust and if they have knowledge of your business. Unsolicited or unhelpful criticism should be seen for what it is: simply someone else’s opinion that may have nothing to do with you. Everyone has their own opinion and if you’re reacting to too many people’s opinions, it will not help your business grow. While many of us do like to seek the approval of others, it’s very important that you stay on course in your business and not allow arbitrary criticism from others to derail your efforts. Criticism can be helpful if it’s coming from someone you respect and trust and who has knowledge of your business. Ignore the rest. Following your business plan and maintaining a positive and motivated mindset are important keys to your business’s success. Remember, being observant of the source of the advice and criticism you receive will keep you right on track.