To Handle Criticism Like a Pro; 5 Effective Ways
We all get criticisms now and then and it makes us unhappy. So, how to handle criticism? To handle it, you need to understand the perspectives of other people who are criticizing you.
Criticism can be constructive or stupid. How you are taking it is your point of view. Take me for an example. When I enrolled in a course in 2018 to learn to write content writing finishing my post-graduation from the University, people around me started saying that I was making the biggest mistake in my life. I never reacted, neither stepped back. I kept doing what I liked doing. I loved writing from and didn’t give up. I indeed had to face a lot of difficulties, but I never was disappointed. I did my best every time I got a chance. When people were trying to make me understand how I was finishing my career in the worst possible way, I just told them not to push me because I loved my job. I heard the criticism and made it my weapon.
Anyone can disapprove of you, but when you know that you are doing the right thing, you don’t take it personally.
Here are 5 effective ways for you to handle criticism like a pro:
1. Keep an open mind:
How well we can handle criticism depends on our relationship with the person who is criticizing. Suppose, you have a best friend and he/she is criticizing you for something, you will be able to take it as you know best friends are always there to advise wisely. But if the criticism is coming from a colleague who you don’t have a close relationship with, you might mind it. So, the thing is, if you keep an open mind, you can listen to every criticism you get from anyone and assess it for your betterment. I am not asking you to abide by the criticism; it is just that you can see the good or bad side of criticism from your perspective. Sometimes, people who are close to us can’t criticize us thinking that we might get hurt. So, an open mind will let you hear the criticism of other people who are not close enough and make the best out of it.
2. Don’t take everything personally:
Not everything is to take personally because it can make us depressed. So, what to do? Listen to what others are saying without attacking or reacting. You will know which one is constructive and which one is unnecessary. If anything makes sense to you, assess that and you will get a room for you to reform yourself. Life always teaches us lessons. It is in our hands how we take the lessons. If there is a scope to improve, we should. When someone criticizes you doesn’t mean they are right and you are wrong. It’s just that you both have a different point of view and there is always scope to learn and grow.
3. Assume good intentions:
Not always people have bad intentions. People who criticize in front of you have good intentions most of the time. Those who say things behind your back are to ignore. So again, without reacting, just listen to the people who are telling it in front of you and then decide if it is helping you. People who are talking behind your back, just ignore them as you are already ahead of them.
4. Focus on learning:
The one thing you can always do. Life is a constant learning field. Every past experience makes you even more mature to take steps in the present moment. Just like that, every criticizing words make you prepare for your better journey of life. People might criticize you to make you look small, but your duty is to grab the lesson from their words. So, instead of thinking why this person is criticizing me, think what I can learn from it. If you focus on positive outcomes, life becomes easier and happier.
5. Smile:
When someone is criticizing you, don’t attack them rather smile and let it go. Letting is the best thing you can do instead of blaming others. People can criticize from their point of view, but you will have to take it lightly. Take the emotions out of it and handle it like a pro.
While listening to criticism from others, it is tough to control our emotions. If the criticism is constructive, productive, then it makes much more sense to us and we can take it easily. But if it makes us feel sad or depressed, it becomes hard to handle and we start attacking people who are talking. So, the best way is to control our emotions and stay away from negative thoughts. To handle criticism like a pro think like a pro.
