{"id":72200,"date":"2019-11-07T20:35:50","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T04:35:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=72200"},"modified":"2019-11-11T20:42:25","modified_gmt":"2019-11-12T04:42:25","slug":"how-to-deal-with-criticism-and-use-it-to-your-advantage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-deal-with-criticism-and-use-it-to-your-advantage\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Deal with Criticism and Use it to your Advantage"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Receiving criticism is unpleasant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of us get angry and defensive while others get\ndemotivated and start blaming themselves. There are very few people who take\ncriticism for what it is \u2013 and those are the truly secure ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why is criticism so hard to digest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criticism triggers feelings of shame. It hits a nerve and\nmakes us uncomfortable, forcing us to react in unsavory ways to conceal our shame<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next time you\u2019re criticized, don\u2019t let it bog you down and\nruin your mood. Here are five smart ways to deal with criticism, take it in\nyour stride and use it to become a better person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detach Yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t take criticism personally\u201d \u2013 you\u2019ve heard this\nmultiple times, but we agree, it can be extremely tough to not <\/strong>get perturbed.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way to not take criticism personally is to\nemotionally detach yourself from it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know that the \u2018criticism\u2019 you receive does not define you. Look\nat it as someone else\u2019s opinion which you may or may not choose to consider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also need to understand and internalize the fact that\nyou cannot please everyone. There will be people who will have a differing\nopinion and that\u2019s alright. Embrace differences in opinion instead of\nperceiving a critical remark as an \u2018attack.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hate VS Criticism <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking about attacks, criticism is not always\nconstructive. There are people who\nenjoy spewing hate<\/a> and live off that energy. Yes, the haters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you tell the difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics are specific and also offer suggestions for\nimprovement. They are open to discussion because their primary agenda is to\nhelp you get better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, haters criticize you because ..they can.\nTheir \u2018criticism\u2019 has got nothing to do with you or your work. It\u2019s usually a\nbyproduct of their own issues.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, it\u2019s very important to see where<\/strong> the criticism is\ncoming from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Respond, Don\u2019t React<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve worked very hard on a project only to be told it\u2019s\nneeds more work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to lose your cool, throw a fit and justify the\nhard work you put in but how is that going to help the situation? By getting\nriled up, the only person you hurt is yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next time you\u2019re faced with a criticism, step back from the\nsituation and take some time to process it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask questions and fully understand what you\u2019re being\ncriticized about. If you agree with it, implement the feedback and learn from\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t agree with it, respond with grace. Tell them\nwhy you feel differently and stand up for yourself without getting defensive.\nThe key lies in approaching the conversation objectively and staying calm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect your Self-Esteem<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re someone who struggles with low self-esteem, any\npiece of criticism is likely to break your confidence, and have you question\nyourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take conscious efforts to protect your self-esteem and build\nyour confidence. You need to develop a strong sense of self that\u2019s not shaken\nevery time you\u2019re criticized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, if you were criticized for your writing\nskills, that does not mean you lose\nthe motivation<\/a> to write because you feel you\u2019re not good enough. It means\ntaking the positives and striving to write better next time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, the next time you are given feedback, assess it\nrationally and don\u2019t give in to the negative self-talk. Tell yourself it\u2019s just\nfeedback and it cannot shape your self-concept. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adopt a Growth Mindset<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A growth mindset is one that is open to growth and\ndevelopment. Focused on learning, such a mindset makes people open to receiving\nfeedback. They value\nself-growth<\/a> and take criticism in their stride because they actively work\ntowards becoming better versions of themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you focus on growth, your perspective on criticism\nshifts which allows you to look at it objectively and use it to your advantage.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning to deal with criticism is essential because you will encounter it at every stage in your life. So, follow these five steps and you\u2019re bound to deal with criticism more sensibly such that it works in your favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adela Belin is passionate about sharing stories with a\nhope to make a difference in people’s lives and contribute to their personal\nand professional growth. She is a regular contributor to <\/em>this blog<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Receiving criticism is unpleasant. Some of us get angry and defensive while others get demotivated and start blaming themselves. There are very few people who take criticism for what it is \u2013 and those are the truly secure ones. So, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16887,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[9,6],"tags":[640,4631,4651,4629],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Deal with Criticism and Use it to your Advantage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Receiving criticism is unpleasant. 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