Coping with criticism

One of the models I often use and teach in my communication keynote is about incorporating the usage of feedback. However, and I would like to emphasize this, not all feedback is criticism to get you down. Nevertheless, I get the feedback of my audience that coping with feedback is not always easy. For sure everyone has faced some kind of criticism at some point in their lives and generally, no one in their right head qualifies criticism as fun and perceives it to be quite discouraging. You must keep a very positive attitude when it comes to coping with criticism. I would like to point out two vital areas from where every form of criticism usually generates and you should give a different valuation depending on that area.

Criticism to Help You Out

This type of criticism comes from those who truly believe in you and want you to benefit from their feedback. This is the type of criticism that usually hurts the most. Almost nobody likes the fact being criticized by the people whom they love and respect the most. Here is the thing, one must keep their intentions in mind. If someone is really close to you and wants the best to happen to you, and they have the guts not to sweet talk you for your mistakes, you should truly appreciate their feedback.

When your closest ones criticize you, it takes courage to do so and it is usually meant to be constructive criticism. If you feel that it is given for your best interest, then take their suggestions into account and imply the adjustments they might offer for the better.

Criticism to hold you back.

Coping with criticism from those who do not have your best interest at heart, needs a different approach. This form of criticism can come as a surprise or might blindside you. This type of criticisms usually comes from people whom you never thought as being important or never knew that they were keeping an eye on your life.

Though, some of the times these criticisms do pay off, but most of the times it is best not to pay any kind of attention on what they have to say. Even when you are right and doing something positive and great, there will be people who will come and criticize your work. As simple as that, if you have the slightest suspicion that the fore mentioned feedback is not originated with your best interest in mind, smile and walk away.

In both the above-mentioned examples keep in mind that your attitude should not, under any circumstances, be affected by the criticisms. Maintaining a constant positive attitude is a lot like handling the fact that it rains outside. Just because it is raining outside does not necessarily imply that you would have to stay inside the room. Rather you should put on a raincoat or take an umbrella and go outside, in spite of the rain and make use of the circumstance.

Similarly, if criticism starts showering upon you, do not let that stop you from achieving any goal that you have set for yourself in your life.

You must keep a positive outlook. Maintaining this positive attitude will help you in coping with criticism and keeping criticisms that are not constructive or beneficiary from getting under your skin.

Have a conscious day!

Filip