Afraid of Criticism?

Criticism can dampen the spirits of a person. People need positive strokes and want to be accepted, valued and respected for what they are. Finding faults with them or pinpointing the flaws, or condemning or criticizing can have a poor impact on the mental functioning of people. Yet sometimes criticism may be useful.

You can make criticism make you or break you. The basic difference is in the way you look at it and handle it. Criticism is one thing that people have to encounter in life at one point or other. People who haven’t faced criticism may not have tried to do anything that is unconventional or risky. Many people choose the easier way and do not follow their dreams for fear of being a target of harsh words, negative responses and ever present critics.

Yet you have to do what you need to. People will criticize you because of several reasons. One being that they are narrow minded, cannot accommodate new ideas, are conservative by nature and do not appreciate changes of any kind. There are people of different kinds and attitude, and it is likely that you will face criticism. But do not let it stop you.

At the same time, do not make yourself immune to criticism. Ignoring critics is essential sometimes when you are absolutely sure, convinced and passionate about something. However, sometimes you need to pay attention to criticism to check against stagnation and complacency. You may stop stretching yourself, taking more effort, and may drift into self satisfaction, and a dose of criticism may shake you up and challenge you to do something better.

As humans we must transcend our boundaries so that we realize our true potential. Criticism can actually be a motivating factor and make us do better and surpass our own limitations, laziness, passivity, and help us to lead a more challenging and fulfilling life.