Never let your ego get in the way of development

In a pernicious way compliments can be more damaging to development than criticism.

I thought I was a pretty good singer, I had people tell me I was a good singer. It wasn't just "Oh you're good" It was emphatic compliments.

I would also make more money busking than most other people around me (on average around double what My peers told me they had made)

Some people thought I sounded classical and operatic some people thought I sounded like '90s grunge.

I thought I was a pretty good baritone... Turns out I was just a shit tenor. I was dragging my chest all the way up to F4 f-sharp 4, And I decided that was my physical limit. And while it sounded epic, My hubris was my limitation not the f sharp 4.

I was slapped across the face when I realized I had self-imposed limitations.

Having a good teacher, and objective critique is a very important thing.

My ego wasted years of development that could have been much better spent.