John Wooden said, “You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.” Criticism and praise influence your self-talk, beliefs, and actions. They're distractions if you let them be. So how do you deal with criticism and praise? 1. Stay Grounded With Humility Embrace humility and stay grounded. You're never as good as your best performance and never as bad as your worst performance. Recognize that your worth is not defined by others' opinions. 2. Stay True To Yourself Set your standard for performance and live to that standard. Be true to yourself and your values. Use praise as motivation and criticism as opportunities for growth, while not losing sight of your purpose and goals. 3. Remember Your "Why" Let your deeper motivations guide your actions and decisions. Praise and criticism don't define you as a person. When you know what you stand for then everything else becomes a distraction and noise. 4. Eliminate Distractions Stay focused on what matters and who matters in your life. Everyone will always give you an opinion, but that doesn't mean it aligns with your goals. Create a supportive environment for your growth by managing the people and content you consume. 5. Use A Growth-Mindset View all feedback as a chance to learn and improve. If it's praise, build on it. If it's criticism then address it constructively and see how you can improve. When you have an open mind then you realize that growth never stops. 6. Take Time To Reflect Take time to reflect on the feedback received. Evaluate its relevance and think about the intent behind the feedback. Make sure that you reflect and take action based on how it aligns with your standards and aspirations. 7. Do It For Yourself, Not The Praise External validation will always come and go. Avoid seeking it as your main source of confidence. Confidence starts from within so rely on your own sense of accomplishment and growth for self-assurance. "A creative life cannot be sustained by approval any more than it can be destroyed by criticism." - Will Self - - - Follow @coachajkings for more content like this!