Most of the times when a person comments you on what you are doing or not doing, and how you should be doing it, a lot of people receive that as criticism and negativity. They get annoyed, aggresive, and their self-confidence takes a plunge.

The interesting question here is really the reasons behind this. Mainly, there are two reasons, one being that each person has his/her pride, and someone else is judging or correcting you, you do not feel comfortable. The second main reason is that people feel at that moment that they don’t do the things right and feel bad about it, and think sometimes that they are a failure.

Now, I have learned to deal with that and to transform this into feedback. So, basically what I am doing is that whenever someone is telling eme something about what I am doing or not doing, I see that purely as feedback. I see it as if they are helping me telling me how they see the things. This creates for me the following:

- I stay in control of the information that comes to me and I keep the responsability in my own hands;

- As I stay in control, I decide if I am going to use or not use the information that was given to me;

- I stay in my own confidence and I keep focussing on the things that I want to achieve.

So, see criticism just as feedback, and you will see the transformation and the strength that it will give you. Give it a try. And if needed, contact a coach that can support and guide you in this.

Coach Erwin