There are always critics. No matter what you do, people will gather around and say negative things about your plans. The main issue here is how you respond to those critics. Do you listen to what they say and take it to heart? Will you let it affect you in a negative way? Will you let it throw you off of your chosen path of growth? The main answers to these questions should be no. You need to learn how to deal with these critics in an effective way, or else you will never meet your goals. No matter how forceful the critic is, you must follow the advice laid out below.
Listen to the Critic
The number one thing that you need to do is listen to the critic. Take in what they have to say, nod your head, smile, thank them for the comment, and then go about your day. You don’t want the person to know that the comment bothers you – especially if it really bugs you. Taking their criticism to heart gives them power over you. You don’t want that. Instead, you want to show them that you listened (otherwise, they may keep going until they get “through” to you) and that you’re moving on now. And then do just that – move on. Don’t take their words to heart.
Get Motivated By Their Comment
Getting motivated by what the critic had to say is not the same thing as actually letting them get to you. Instead, it’s twisting their words in a positive way so that you can move forward and be motivated by the comment. Use it to propel yourself forward. Think to yourself “wow, I must be on the right path, because I already have a critic.” Motivating yourself with their negativity turns the situation into a positive one.
Think About the Source
Who gave you the criticism? Why do you think that they did that? Did you step on their toes (proverbial, of course) once in the past? Is it someone who is never happy about anything? What does their criticism say about them? What can you do to put yourself in their footsteps and realize why they criticized you? If you consider the source more than the criticism, you’re moving past it and onto more positive things. You need to understand where it came from in order to fully understand it. This also prevents your critic from gaining the upper hand. You’re the one in charge of your future.
Focus on the Positive
Is there something positive to be found in the criticism? Or is it all negative? Could you find something positive in the way that the criticism was thrown your way? Or do you need some positive in your life (such as a small goal that you’ve just met) to take the criticism’s place? By focusing on the positive in life, you don’t need to worry about the negative. You’re essentially replacing one negative thought with one positive one. This is what really matters.
Ignore Your Critics
Before you can successfully ignore your critics, you need to understand where they’re coming from. Many critics are very negative because they are unhappy with themselves and their lives. Rather than make changes that can change their circumstances, they allow themselves to become negative people who don’t want others to be successful. Now that you understand where these critics are coming from, you can ignore what they have to say. We don’t think that you need to ignore the critics altogether, because that would be rude. Instead, focus on where the “advice” is coming from and let it flow over you. Don’t internalize it.
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