Let’s face it – it’s hard to take criticism! It makes us feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, and defensive about ourselves. And yet, taking criticism positively can be one of life’s most important skills – and especially essential for a successful career. Researchers have found that students who respond positively to constructive criticism have higher self-esteem and are more likely to excel in life. If you are someone who’s on the edge when receiving constructive criticism, here’s how to adapt:
● Become Aware of How Criticism Affects You:
Becoming defensive when somebody criticizes us is a natural reaction. It takes a lot of practice to stop ourselves from reacting – sometimes consciously and sometimes unconsciously. We may roll our eyes, blurt an excuse, or sigh. Train your mind to remain neutral. And if you do not have anything positive to say, try repeating or rephrasing what the other person is saying. Or, say thank you. It doesn’t mean you agree; it means you acknowledge and appreciate their feedback.
● Train Yourself to be Inquisitive:
Again, rather than explaining your stance, ask the other person to explain theirs in detail. You could ask them to unpack their thoughts more. Turn every criticism into an opportunity to learn.
● Understand the Difference Between Criticism and Feedback:
Not all criticism is constructive. Most people criticize others to feel good about themselves; only a few do it to build the other person up. It’s important to identify and learn the difference between the two. Some criticism may across as harsh yet is well-intentioned. This happens when someone doesn’t know how to articulate feedback. In such situations, understand that the other person means no harm.
● You Cannot Make Everyone Happy:
Successful people train their mind to tune out the noise and focus on the things that matter. Becoming a student who can do this is paramount to succeeding in classes, especially ones that are difficult and require effort and time to succeed.
● Ask for Help:
As we said, it takes time to train the mind to take criticism positively. This is even more the case for teenagers who are living in a world of instant approval. For those who can’t adapt, there are hire professionals to manage their assignments and tests. Our service has helped thousands of students who struggle to take feedback and improve on their own. They end up asking online class takers like us, ‘Can I pay someone to take my onlineclass?’ We help them with their homework until they’re confident enough to do it on their own.
