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Criticism
Criticism generally exists on three levels –
-
Destructive – Unhelpful, malicious, damning
-
Constructive – Helpful, useful, productive, beneficial
-
Unfair – unwarranted, uninformed, misinformed
The
ability to differentiate is important, as to ignore all criticism
would certainly be unadvisable and could indicate a deficiency in your
personality.
Some
people simply can’t accept criticism. They are unable to accept the
possibility of being in the wrong. This can be a serious problem. In
extreme cases this could indicate a personality disorder. In fairness
though, we might all have difficulty accepting criticism to a certain
degree.
Criticism can range from analysis to condemnation, so it rather
depends on the purpose of a comment or how we perceive it. Adopting a
‘never wrong’ attitude is unwise. It is virtually impossible to be
right all the time! So the golden rule is - It never hurts to
listen.
Whilst
criticism is usually the result of analysis, criticism itself must be
analysed.
Dealing
with Criticism
Unfair
criticism is probably the most difficult to deal with. It can be a
powerful de-motivator and distraction. But remember, a critic may not
be in possession of all the facts, have a tainted point of view or
have an underhanded motive, so it’s up to you – should you listen or
not?
Simply be honest and ask yourself - "Is
the criticism valid?"
Always
remember, everybody has a right to an opinion, including you. But just
as you can’t be right all the time, they can’t be wrong all the time.
You just need to be sensible enough to know when and when not to
listen.
In the
words of the French philosopher ~
Voltaire….
“I disapprove of what
you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
Self
Criticism
In
order to develop a reasonable appreciation of the difference between
constructive and destructive criticism, it is necessary to possess a
critical mind and have the ability to criticise yourself.
Self-criticism (when applied appropriately to sport) should be used
positively as a method of identifying your imperfections or weaknesses
with a view to improvement. It should not be used as an opportunity
to beat yourself up.
It is
healthy to be able to accept criticism, taking onboard the
constructive whilst identifying and ignoring the negative.
Being
your own worst critic has certain advantages:
-
Positive self-criticism will always be with a view to improvement,
hence it will always be constructive.
-
Being
able to appreciate the value of criticism, you will not
automatically feel offended or intimidated when receiving it from
others.
-
Because you understand your actions and intentions in much greater
detail, you are able to criticise yourself on a far more intricate
level than anybody else can, factoring in far more background
information than an observer might.
Example:
You are
observed playing during a match. Your general standard of play is not
quite up to usual. In a passing comment, a selector suggests you need
some serious practice because your game was unimpressive.
Being
your own worst critic you won’t disagree that your game was poor. But
you know that additional practice won’t cure the upset tummy you’ve
had all day – a fact you feel embarrassed to share.
Remember
Self-criticism should only be used constructively. It is only useful
to those who seek improvement. It is not a means to put yourself down.
It requires an honest and realistic attitude, and when used properly
will actually help improve performance, boost confidence, increase
self-esteem and develop a well rounded robust character.
Note
When practicing
self-criticism avoid the use of words like:
useless, rubbish,
loser, hopeless, can't, pointless, awful, pathetic etc.
These are ridiculous pointless statements
of negativity and have no place in the vocabulary of a winner. |
