Dealing with Criticism

It is funny to be a critic. A critic is a legless man who teaches other people to run. Ideally, if you can’t cook, you shouldn’t tell people that their food needs salt. A critic like me is doing so anyway. The worst-case scenario is that it’ll be the last time I ever eat your food. There will be no winners. If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married. My girlfriend was told she doesn’t take criticism very well. I said that must have been hard to hear.

Learn to use criticism and you’ll never run out of fuel. I have finally completed my PhD in Literary Criticism and I beg you not to speak of the irony. A critic is a man who knows the way but can’t drive the car. I hope you have enough fuel for this long drive sweetheart. The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment. I for one have settled for being ordinary. Criticize me and you’re going to catch these hands.

Criticism. If nothing bad is said, nothing good will ever be done. Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most fools do. The others just aren’t living up to their potential. On the upside, they sometimes are the catalysts for change. Never assume every critic is a hater. Not everyone is hating on you. Some people are telling the truth. But you’re not ready for the truth.

When you are a giraffe and you receive criticism from turtles, they are reporting the view from the level they are on. Don’t let people’s compliments go to your head and don’t let their criticism get to your heart. I love criticism, just so long as it is unqualified praise. If you don’t have critics, you probably don’t have success either. I now see why people are hell-bent on having haters. Criticizing the government for Russian journalists is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger. I was telling my friend a joke about sky diving but he gave me constructive criticism on it. It didn’t land very well. Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you’ll be a mile from them, and you’ll have their shoes. If you’re not open to constructive criticism, then you’re not open to truly growing as a person. That’s why you’re short!

Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember the only taste of success some people get, is taking a bite out of you. It’s funny when people criticise their version of you. Often they forget, they are criticising a part of their own selves. People are probably not happy with their lives if they’re busy discussing yours. You’re a breath of fresh air to them. What is the difference between a critic and a puppy? With time, training and patience, it is possible to make a puppy stop whining.

Don’t mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it. If it is unfair, keep from irritation. If it is ignorant, smile. If it is justified, learn from it. Know this, you can’t escape criticism even if you tried. I found my son hanging from a rope in his bedroom. On the floor was a note saying, “I can’t stand the cricitism anymore.” I quickly cut him down, gave him CPR and he started to breathe. As he lay in my arms I saw his eyes slowly open and I said, “That’s not how you spell criticism.” To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing

and be nothing

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