virgin islands scene

So is cheerfulness, or a good temper, the more it is spent, the more remains.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

 

Monday, March 9, 1998

Criticism

No one can make you feel inferior
 without your consent.
             -- Eleanor Roosevelt

How do you react to criticism? Do you let it get you down? Many people are anxious to complain and criticize just because they take perverse pleasure in putting others down. Do you really want these people to control the way you feel about yourself?

Much criticism is useful and can help us to make positive changes. Imagine how difficult it would be to improve if you never received any feedback. Yet criticism is only one person’s opinion. If you let criticism mold the way you feel about yourself, then your happiness depends on the whims of others.

When someone criticizes you, look objectively for something useful and positive in what they’re saying. Then discard the rest. It doesn’t need to get you down. When you’re living with passion and purpose, making a sincere effort to be the best that you can be, is it really that important what other people think? The negative thoughts of others toward you, particularly if they are unfounded, are not worth the effort it takes to be concerned with them. There are many people whom you will never please. That is their problem, not yours.

Learn what you can from your critics. Then move forward with confidence and commitment.

— Ralph Marston

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Copyright ©1998 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.