The critics stand on the sidelines, watching over our shoulders.
They tell us what can’t be done.
They explain why it won’t work.
They describe what’s wrong.
They can’t wait to tell us, “I told you so.”
What satisfaction those four words will bring to them!
In the meantime, we generate ideas.
We carry our ideas out, transforming our dreams into reality.
We do our best to ignore the critics.
Our results are feeble at first.
The critics are smug about how right they were.
But we gain experience and wisdom for our mistakes.
We try again and again and again, better each time.
We become a little better known, start to make names for ourselves.
Eventually, people begin to recognize and appreciate our efforts.
We find ourselves starting to accomplish what was said couldn’t be done.
Then we realize that the advantage was ours all along.
Only those who have ideas can carry them out.
Only those who try to carry them out can accomplish anything.
Only those who work hard can get meaningful results.
Those who stand on the sideline to criticize are the only ones who CAN’T achieve.
The best they can hope for is to discourage those who otherwise could have achieved.
What kind of life is that?
(You can learn a lot from Nike’s slogan.)
A Yaysayer
I’m Chris McMullen, and I’m a yaysayer. You can do it. It might take hard work. It might require some learning and research. You will probably make mistakes. Hopefully, you will learn from them. You can improve in time. Things may start out very slowly at first, but you can grow in time. The first step is self-belief. The second step is self-motivated diligence. If you wish to achieve, you must do what the naysayers say you can’t do and what the naysayers themselves don’t do. Be a yaysayer. Be a doer. 🙂
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chrismcmullen 
I think the world needs more yaysayers.
I’ll say “Yay!” to that. 🙂 It’s infinitely more rewarding, yet somehow seems to be unpopular…
I think it stems from a belief that criticizing is a form of toughing an artist up. Also, I’ve met a few people who purposely subject themselves to stuff they won’t like because they get to complain later. It’s almost like a power trip where they hold the artist’s career and self-worth in their hands.
Yaysayer!! You are definitely one of these, Chris. Such a spirit inside of you. I enjoy your humor very much.
A yay a day is a better way. 🙂
A lovely rhyme. LOL That’s what I say and I like it when your words want to play…. 🙂