When it comes to the creative arts, there have always been two roles in society: those who are creators and those who are critics.

The creators are the ones who make things. They make buildings, cars, computers, books, plays, speeches, movies, rockets, and a million other things. The creators are the ones who move culture forward. They invent. They design. They use their creative powers to stick their necks out, add value to others, and risk being criticized by those who don’t like what they do.

Critics, on the other hand, play a limited role in society. Critics are the ones who stay safely in the distance. They spend most of their energy pointing out the flaws in other people’s creative work. There have always been critics, of course, and they have a certain value in culture. We need people to offer intelligent reflection and commentary on culture.

But make no mistake, this is not where the real action is. The real action lies in creating something. Which would you rather be, the creator who makes things for critics to comment on, or the critic who just rides the creator’s coattails?

The French novelist Gustave Flaubert said, “A man is a critic when he cannot be an artist, in the same way that a man becomes an informer when he cannot be a soldier.”

It’s easier and oftentimes more fun to be a critic. And why not? You get to sit back and relax while other people do the work. Then, you get to offer your opinion and commentary… all while never taking one ounce of risk.

This day, choose to be a creator. Choose to be the one who puts in the work and adds value to society. Choose to create with your words and through other means. Don’t fall into the trap of just being a critic.