Choose Your Voices: A Lesson on Criticism Write an image caption

Whether we like it or not, we all listen to what other people have to say. Especially when it takes the form of criticism.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with this. Lots of people have lots of knowledge to share to make us all better people. The problem is finding the right people and the right knowledge.

The unfortunate reality is that people like to overextend and offer unsolicited advice when really they are no more knowledgeable or helpful.

Social media has catalyzed this. People love offering opinions, especially at the expense of others.

I’m writing to tell you how to choose your voices. The world is full of infinite voices and opinions, it’s up to you to find the right ones.

Surround Yourself With the Right People

This is a pillar of being successful. Successful people also surround themselves with other successful people. It’s a very simple yet powerful concept.

If you are constantly in the presence of people who are less motivated, resilient, or focused as you, you become your best and only resource for achieving your goals. People who don’t operate at your level only bring you down.

This is more than just about money or power. Surround yourself with people who truly care about your life objectives and reciprocate that feeling to them. When people around you genuinely care and share similar motives, the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

If you constantly have a group of people who share your motivations and desires, it makes the tough times easier and the easy times even better.

Achieving what your life goals alone is not impossible, but a far more difficult feat than utilizing like minded individuals to your advantage.

Listen to Those Who Are Where You Want to Be

This is integral for any personal life objective you want to achieve. Connect with people who are two steps ahead of you. Learn from those who have reached the pinnacle, whatever that may mean for you.

Your network is arguably your most powerful tool in anything in life, and this is not just limited to those in your professional network. Find and connect with people who have done what you want to do.

This could range anywhere from a successful business owner to a happy family with a healthy marriage. Learn from people who are looking down the mountain as you climb up.

These people have likely experienced numerous failures and learnings that ultimately can give you an advantage in whatever you do. Knowledge is power, seek it out and use it wisely.

Your Shield Is More Important Than Your Sword

Bad and unwarranted advice or criticism can dampen your pursuit of greatness. While people doubting you can be a great motivator, it can also cultivate negative sentiment and self perception.

Listen to criticism, but filter out hate. This is your shield. Learn from those who are smarter, better, and more successful, but filter out those who truly don’t care and will erode your motivation.

Social media is the primary culprit for facilitating this kind of language and behavior. Limit the number of comparisons you make. Don’t let false pretenses breed a notion of failure.

A happy photo can often be a conduit of insecurity.

Listen to your trusted voices, flush out unsupported opinions. People love to criticize because it’s an insecurity mechanism for protecting feelings.

Don’t listen to those you don’t trust. Don’t let those who you don’t know deplete what should be an infinite well of motivation. Raise your shield and block out unwarranted and distasteful judgments.

Protect Your Motivation

No matter what you might want to achieve in life, don’t allow others to poison your motivation with hostile and irrational criticism.

Keep your network open to trusted sources and those who you know share similar motivation or have reached your end destination. Find people who make you better, and cleanse your life of people who are saboteurs.

Criticism is fantastic, particularly from those who have been where you are going. Ensure criticism comes from those you trust or respect. .

Shield yourself from hostility, protect yourself by connecting to those on the same journey, and find that your life objectives will become that much easier to achieve.