How To Accept Every Little Criticism As Genuine Advice

Criticism is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can improve you, but on the other hand, it can shatter your confidence if you allow it. Understanding how to deal with criticism is vital to improving yourself in both your personal and professional lives.

How does it feel if someone criticizes you? Maybe you have had someone criticize your work effort or personal aspects of your life. You might feel hurt or angry, and you may even become defensive.

There are so many times when we have to deal with criticism that it’s essential to learn how to deal with it. Indeed, you don’t want someone else’s opinion to prevent you from having a happy and productive life.

Dealing with Constructive Criticism vs. Destructive Criticism

The first action in dealing with criticism is to figure out whether it is worth considering. Sometimes we may mistake personal attacks for criticism. They are not the same!

• There are two forms of criticism: constructive criticism, which is to help us improve and keep communication open, and destructive criticism, which is to humiliate and control us.

Whether you are dealing with criticism in the workplace, at home, or with friends, it is essential to deal with critical remarks. Your feelings will unsurprisingly be hurt, so the first thing to do is give yourself a few minutes to sort out the information before reacting.

• Take a few deep breaths. Determine why the criticism occurred. Thinking before reacting will help you avoid unnecessary conflict, pain, or embarrassment.

Once you determine there is no legitimacy to the criticism, you may find it fitting to use a technique called distracting, where you acknowledge, with composure, that you heard what the other person said. Do not become defensive or upset. Recognize the statement and leave it at that.

• You might acknowledge the other speaker with a general response, such as “I appreciate you sharing your opinion.” or “You might be right.” Leaving an open end does not permit the opportunity for more disagreement. It will also place the other person at ease and may even let you change the subject.

Maybe the most challenging thing to do when criticized is to admit that it is true. You do not have to be too apologetic. You can always say, “It’s my mistake” or “I’m sorry,” and move on. By admitting fault, you are taking ownership of the problem, and you are proving that you are a mature adult.

When you have admitted your mistake, strive to get past the barrier and heal the rift between you.

• When discussing it, try not to use“but” when admitting the truth of the criticism. That puts stipulations on why you were wrong. Swallow your pride and go on.

On the other hand, if you are not sure if the criticism is justified or not, you may want to ask for more detailed feedback. This will help you gain more information and help the other person clarify the facts.

• An example of this could be if your boss tells you that your work is sloppy. By finding out their expectation, you can deliver what they are looking for instead of scrabbling around struggling to figure out what “sloppy” means.

Everyone has unique expectations, and a simple adjustment might be all you need to resolve the criticism.

If you take criticism too personally, you are letting someone else be in charge of your life! Do not let others rattle you. It is not worth the energy or frustration.

And remember: you cannot control others; you can only control yourself. So this means you have a choice in your reaction to criticism. You can ignore the criticism, treat it as a motivator, or become upset and angry. The option is yours.