How To Use Criticism To Fuel Your Growth

Cut through the noise

Credit: Author

Doling out unwarranted advice — we have all done it. Given an opportunity, it’s easy to assume the role of an expert and tell others how wrong they are, why their product isn’t good enough, why their idea will never work, how they should behave, what they should do. Why seek permission when we feel right in our criticism?

Now let’s turn this around. Are your critics telling you the blunt facts you need to hear? Think for a moment about how you feel when you are on the receiving end of this criticism — angry, defensive, resentful, frustrated, sad, maybe even a little bit devastated.

Well, honestly. These feelings are all but natural. Even when it’s well-intended, criticism is always painful. Who likes to be told that their work sucks or what they consider praiseworthy does not come close to being good enough?

Loved by some, disliked by others. Useful to some, unhelpful to others. Valuable to some, rubbish for others. That’s how it is. Every person is entitled to their opinion. Very few people care about all the hard work you have put into creating something. All that matters is their personal opinion.

The thing about criticism is even when we know that criticism coming our way is unfair, even when we know it’s from some mean people, even…