---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at the people who review. Look at…"
description: "\"Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to being \"right\" and \"safe\". If I had listened to my critics I would have given up years ago.\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg"
---

#  Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to…

![“Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to being &quot;right&quot; and &quot;safe&quot;. If I had listened to my critics I would have given up years ago.” quote by John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg)

> “Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to being "right" and "safe". If I had listened to my critics I would have given up years ago.”

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Critics often prioritize being correct over helping, which can stifle creativity and perseverance.

**In simple terms:** Critics focus on being right, not helping.

Key Takeaway

Ignore critics to stay motivated.

Themes

creativity criticism motivation confidence

Mood

reflective defiant

Type

personal inspirational

When to use this quote

- creative work
- personal growth
- career development

Key Concepts

perfectionism self-doubt resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- When is criticism constructive?
- How to balance confidence and openness?

A Different Perspective

Overlooking useful feedback can be harmful.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [The last sort I shall mention are verbal critics - mere word-catchers, fellows that pick out a word in a sentence and a sentence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-last-sort-i-shall-mention-are-verbal-critics-mere-word-catchers/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [The title of Ultracrepidarian critics has been given to those persons who find fault with small and insignificant details.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-title-of-ultracrepidarian-critics-has-been-given-to-those-persons/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [If I had listened to the critics I'd have died drunk in the gutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-i-had-listened-to-the-critics-i-d-have-died-drunk-in-the-gutter/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [If I listened to my critics, I would still be at home under my bed right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-grace/if-i-listened-to-my-critics-i-would-still-be-at-home-under-my-bed/)

[Nancy Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-grace/)

> [If I read or listened to critics of our music. I'd have been discouraged a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nash/if-i-read-or-listened-to-critics-of-our-music-i-d-have-been/)

[Graham Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nash/)

> [“In London, she'd overheard more than one matron decrying what they considered Esme Byron's inappropriate eccentricities, aghast that she was allowed so much personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-anne-warren/in-london-she-d-overheard-more-than-one-matron-decrying-what-they/)

[Tracy Anne Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-anne-warren/)

> [“If the caterpillar listened to his critics, he would never become a butterfly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-the-caterpillar-listened-to-his-critics-he-would-never-become-a/)

[Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/)

> [The people who review my books, generally, are kind of youngish culture writers who aspire to write books, or write opinion pieces about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-people-who-review-my-books-generally-are-kind-of-youngish-culture-2/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [My main qualm about TV criticism has been when people review TV the way they review movies. They watch the pilot, and write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schur/my-main-qualm-about-tv-criticism-has-been-when-people-review-tv-the/)

[Michael Schur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schur/)

> [Ah, there's a director. Astonishing, Spike Lee. A feisty guy, but a guy who's, I think, incredibly misunderstood. I think people review his politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-cox/ah-there-s-a-director-astonishing-spike-lee-a-feisty-guy-but-a-guy/)

[Brian Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-cox/)

> [Just like only qualified people should work in films, only qualified people should review the film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/just-like-only-qualified-people-should-work-in-films-only-qualified/)

[Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/)

> [The people who review my books, generally, are kind of youngish culture writers who aspire to write books. When someone writes a book review,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-people-who-review-my-books-generally-are-kind-of-youngish-culture/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [It seems like journalism over here in UK, in general, is at a higher level: not overrun by all these teeny little blogs. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-temple/it-seems-like-journalism-over-here-in-uk-in-general-is-at-a-higher/)

[Luke Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-temple/)

> [I'll put out an album, and people review it, and some people love it, and some people tear it apart. By nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/i-ll-put-out-an-album-and-people-review-it-and-some-people-love-it/)

[Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/)

> [There was a reason these boys were still alive, though. Something made them stronger than the other kids, the ones who had died in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/there-was-a-reason-these-boys-were-still-alive-though-something-made/)

[Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/)

## More by John Fante

> [“    Breakfast was ready. He could hear his father asking for coffee. Why did his father have to yell all the time? Couldn't he talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/breakfast-was-ready-he-could-hear-his-father-asking-for-coffee-why/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“Jesus, these Protestants! In my church we didn't sing cheap hymns. With us it was Handel and Palestrina.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/jesus-these-protestants-in-my-church-we-didn-t-sing-cheap-hymns-with/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [If there is work there is warmth, that when a man has freedom of movement it is enough, for then his blood is hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/if-there-is-work-there-is-warmth-that-when-a-man-has-freedom-of/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“I have seen them stagger out of their movie palaces and blink their empty eyes in the face of reality once more, and stagger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/i-have-seen-them-stagger-out-of-their-movie-palaces-and-blink-their/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“My advice to all young writers is quite simple. I would caution them never to evade a new experience. I would urge them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/my-advice-to-all-young-writers-is-quite-simple-i-would-caution-them/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“Then it happened. One night as the rain beat on the slanted kitchen roof a great spirit slipped forever into my life. I held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/then-it-happened-one-night-as-the-rain-beat-on-the-slanted-kitchen/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [Well, this is good for me, this is experience, I am here for a reason, these moments run into pages, the seamy side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/well-this-is-good-for-me-this-is-experience-i-am-here-for-a-reason/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“She was a hunchback with a sweet smile. She smiled sweetly at anything; she couldn't help it; the trees, me, the grass, anything. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/she-was-a-hunchback-with-a-sweet-smile-she-smiled-sweetly-at-anything/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [I tossed my shoulders and swaggered away, whistling with pleasure. In the gutter I saw a long cigaret butt. I picked it up without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/i-tossed-my-shoulders-and-swaggered-away-whistling-with-pleasure-in/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“Careful, Arturo Bandini: don't strain your eyesight, remember what happened to Tarkington, remember what happened to James Joyce.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/careful-arturo-bandini-don-t-strain-your-eyesight-remember-what/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“Nor did he give a damn for the world either, or the universe, or heaven or hell. But he liked women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/nor-did-he-give-a-damn-for-the-world-either-or-the-universe-or-heaven/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [The bible is a source of great inspiration to me. It is a textbook of metaphysics. Within the bible are keys to personal growth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/the-bible-is-a-source-of-great-inspiration-to-me-it-is-a-textbook-of/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [One night I was sitting on the bed in my hotel room on Buker Hill, down in the middle of Los Angeles. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/one-night-i-was-sitting-on-the-bed-in-my-hotel-room-on-buker-hill/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [“All that was good in me thrilled in my heart at that moment, all that I hoped for in the profound, obscure meaning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/all-that-was-good-in-me-thrilled-in-my-heart-at-that-moment-all-that/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

> [(...) I let go, crying and unable to stop because God was such a dirty crook, contemptible skunk, that's what he was for doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/i-let-go-crying-and-unable-to-stop-because-god-was-such-a-dirty-crook/)

[John Fante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

[Explore all 80 John Fante quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/)

## More Commitment quotes

> [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/)

[Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/)

> [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/)

[Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/)

> [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/)

[Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/)

> [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/)

[Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/)

> [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/)

[Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/)

> [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/)

[Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/)

> [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/)

[Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/)

> [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/)

[Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/)

> [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/)

[Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/)

> [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/)

[Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/)

> [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/)

[Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/)

> [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

[Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to being \"right\" and \"safe\". If I had listened to my critics I would have given up years ago.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Fante"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-their-commitment-to-being-right/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Commitment"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-their-commitment-to-being-right/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdb/john-fante-6848_commitment_look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-th_2304023.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Look at the people who review. Look at their commitment to being \"right\" and \"safe\". If I had listened to my…” — John Fante",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Fante",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fante/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Look at the people who review....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-their-commitment-to-being-right/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fante/look-at-the-people-who-review-look-at-their-commitment-to-being-right/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
