--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are going to do anything, you must…" description: "\"If you are going to do anything, you must expect criticism. But it's better to be a doer than a critic. The doer moves; the critic stands still, and is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/bruce-barton-10676_criticism_if-you-are-going-to-do-anything-you-must_1052344.png" --- # If you are going to do anything, you must expect… ![“If you are going to do anything, you must expect criticism. But it's better to be a doer than a critic. The doer moves; the critic stands still, and is passed by.” quote by Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/bruce-barton-10676_criticism_if-you-are-going-to-do-anything-you-must_1052344.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/bruce-barton-10676_criticism_if-you-are-going-to-do-anything-you-must_1052344.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90a/bruce-barton-10676_criticism_if-you-are-going-to-do-anything-you-must_1052344.png) > “If you are going to do anything, you must expect criticism. But it's better to be a doer than a critic. The doer moves; the critic stands still, and is passed by.” [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting invites criticism, but taking action moves progress forward while critics remain stagnant. **In simple terms:** Doer moves forward, critic stays still. Key Takeaway Choose action over criticism. Themes action criticism progress Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - business decisions - creative projects - personal goals Key Concepts Proactivity risk social judgment Questions to Reflect On - What project have you delayed due to fear of criticism? - How can you turn criticism into constructive feedback? A Different Perspective Criticism can discourage necessary risk‑taking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) ## Related quotes > [A non-doer is very often a critic-that is, someone who sits back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-non-doer-is-very-often-a-critic-that-is-someone-who-sits-back-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be a doer and not a critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/be-a-doer-and-not-a-critic/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [What do we expect from criticism? People appear to want it, but why?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-lynton/what-do-we-expect-from-criticism-people-appear-to-want-it-but-why/) [Norbert Lynton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-lynton/) > [As authors, we all expect criticism from time to time, and we all have our ways of coping with unfriendly reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/as-authors-we-all-expect-criticism-from-time-to-time-and-we-all-have/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“There's several reasons why it make sense to begin building a culture of radical candor by asking people to criticize you. First, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-malone-scott/there-s-several-reasons-why-it-make-sense-to-begin-building-a-culture/) [Kim Malone Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-malone-scott/) > [Instead of books, art, theatre, and music being consigned to specialized niches, we might have a criticism that better reflects the eclecticism of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-siegel/instead-of-books-art-theatre-and-music-being-consigned-to-specialized/) [Lee Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-siegel/) > [So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/so-as-an-amateur-olympic-competitor-i-loved-criticism-because-it-made/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [Persons of delicate taste endure stupid criticism better than they do stupid praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philibert-joseph-roux/persons-of-delicate-taste-endure-stupid-criticism-better-than-they-do/) [Philibert Joseph Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philibert-joseph-roux/) > [If you want to write for T.V. and movies, you will be subjected to kind and unkind criticism. You had better get used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-beatts/if-you-want-to-write-for-t-v-and-movies-you-will-be-subjected-to-kind/) [Anne Beatts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-beatts/) > [Someone has said that even criticism is better than silence. I don't agree to this. Criticism can be very harmful unless it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-scudder/someone-has-said-that-even-criticism-is-better-than-silence-i-don-t/) Janet Scudder > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The team that makes the most mistakes usually wins, because doers make mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-team-that-makes-the-most-mistakes-usually-wins-because-doers-make/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“The world favors the doers so get busy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/the-world-favors-the-doers-so-get-busy/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Unlike the Obama Cabinet, the Trump Cabinet is not comprised of do-nothing bureaucrats, who worked their way up the twisted, scheme-ridden Washington ladder; rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayleigh-mcenany/unlike-the-obama-cabinet-the-trump-cabinet-is-not-comprised-of-do/) [Kayleigh McEnany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayleigh-mcenany/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) ## More by Bruce Barton > [My program is to leave the fools to nature. She has diseases with which to deal with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/my-program-is-to-leave-the-fools-to-nature-she-has-diseases-with/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [The Bible rose to the place it now occupies because it deserved to rise to that place, and not because God sent anybody with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/the-bible-rose-to-the-place-it-now-occupies-because-it-deserved-to/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [What a curious phenomenon it is that you can get men to die for the liberty of the world who will not make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/what-a-curious-phenomenon-it-is-that-you-can-get-men-to-die-for-the/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Christ would be a national advertiser today, I am sure, as He was a great advertiser in His own day. He thought of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/christ-would-be-a-national-advertiser-today-i-am-sure-as-he-was-a/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Surely no one will consider us lacking in reverence if we say that every one of the "principles of modern salesmanship" on which business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/surely-no-one-will-consider-us-lacking-in-reverence-if-we-say-that/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside of them was superior to circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/nothing-splendid-has-ever-been-achieved-except-by-those-who-dared/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [It takes a real storm in the average persons life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/it-takes-a-real-storm-in-the-average-persons-life-to-make-him-realize/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Get money - but stop once in a while to figure what it is costing you to get it. No man gets it without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/get-money-but-stop-once-in-a-while-to-figure-what-it-is-costing-you/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [An election goes on every minute of the business day across the counters of hundreds of thousands of stores and shops where the customers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/an-election-goes-on-every-minute-of-the-business-day-across-the/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [I had never thought of advertising as a life work, though I had on the side, written some very successful copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/i-had-never-thought-of-advertising-as-a-life-work-though-i-had-on-the/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Talkers have always ruled. They will continue to rule. The smart thing is to join them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/talkers-have-always-ruled-they-will-continue-to-rule-the-smart-thing/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [We pay just as dearly for our triumphs as we do for our defeats. Go ahead and fail. But fail with wit, fail with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/we-pay-just-as-dearly-for-our-triumphs-as-we-do-for-our-defeats-go/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Learn their lesson, that if you would teach people you first must capture their interest with news; that your service rather than your sermons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/learn-their-lesson-that-if-you-would-teach-people-you-first-must/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [When a load of bricks, dumped on a corner lot, can arrange themselves into a house; when a handful of springs and screws and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/when-a-load-of-bricks-dumped-on-a-corner-lot-can-arrange-themselves/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) > [Most successful men have not achieved their distinction by having some new talent or opportunity that was at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barton/most-successful-men-have-not-achieved-their-distinction-by-having-2/) [Bruce Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) [Explore all 64 Bruce Barton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barton/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are going to do anything, you must expect criticism. But it's better to be a doer than a critic. 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