If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success.

This post is all about the importance of criticism in your pursuit of success. The basis for this discussion is from a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success."

We would argue that criticism and feedback are important components to success. We'll talk about why they are so essential, as well as how to both give and receive it effectively. We'll also share some tips on how to take good criticism so that negativity doesn't hold you back, but rather helps propel you forward!

Writer's block can impede your writing for days, weeks, or even months. But when the moment of need strikes and you desperately need to get your writing done, how can you overcome it?

Traditional theories of overcoming writer's block have focused on simple exercises and techniques that allow ideas to flow freely. But we encourage people to think a little differently: in the midst of the struggle, in this very moment, where does your writing need to go?

Here are 7 ideas for overcoming writer's block. They may not all be applicable in your case, but we encourage you to try at least one!

1. Look Forward

"I don't know what I'm doing right now, but I'll figure it out later. I don't have to know now; I just want to make a writing action plan."

–Stephen King

Writer's block is typically caused by lack of focus. The trouble is that you want to do what is right, but you lose focus and can't focus because your brain has been overstimulated.

Sometimes, in addition to this problem, writer's block stems from being distracted. In order to keep yourself from falling into these traps, we suggest:

Get rid of distractions. This means closing your email programs and shutting off the phone.

Kill time. Many people use this as a way to prevent writer's block, but it actually makes it worse. You're distracted and busy, and you forget to write. If you need to kill time, set aside less time for writing. But if you have a problem with writer's block, don't kill time; instead:

Make a list of things that distract you from writing . Then write "engineer" or "doctor" or "office supplies" at the top of your list so that you know what your primary distractions are. After that, pick out one thing at a time, and focus on it until it's done.

Keep a "reminders" list . Every time you're about to be pulled away from your writing, write something (like a date) or do something (like making coffee) that will remind you of the task at hand later.

2. Think Small

If you are so upset about writer's block that you feel like giving up, try thinking small in the meantime. What small topic can you write about? The key is not to make this task more difficult by trying to write huge. Write just one sentence (or paragraph) every day. Keep the article or essay to a specific length. You don't have to fill a whole page or two – just enough so that when you do write, you can think of one thing and just get that out. If you can't think of anything now, then take this opportunity to start thinking about what you could write about. What topic is intriguing? Take a moment and think about how many sentences you could use for an article (or your entire text) if you wanted to!

3. Review Your Writing

We can't tell you how many times we've heard a student say, "I'll never be able to write again!" This is usually the result of having writer's block and not taking steps to fix it.