Day 125 (A Hundred & Twenty-Five) of 365 days

Making mistakes is uncomfortable. Having someone point out our mistakes is even more uncomfortable. Our insecurities are stirred up and feelings of self-esteem are threatened. We desire to be seen as “perfect”, we want our endeavors to be successful, mistakes put cracks in that shiny surface that we try to show the world. That’s “why” you get annoyed.

In my opinion, it hurts your ego, and it makes you insecure which is completely normal. And I think it’s not the fact that they try to correct you that makes you feel bad, but the possibility that you might be wrong. And since it is a person who tries to correct you, you relate your feelings towards them.

Being wrong doesn’t feel good most of the time, but it is not a big deal. When you get criticized by someone, try to keep your mind cool, and think through it objectively. If you end up with a conclusion, that you are wrong, you can thank them for correcting you. Criticism can be productive. If you still think you are right, try to explain it to them. They won’t always understand your chain of thoughts, but it’s worth a try.

It embarrasses someone when they’re corrected because they feel bad for getting (fill in the blank) wrong in the first place. We humans all have our levels of expectations and perfectionism when it comes to ourselves. (sometimes for others too, but mostly just for what we say and do). The frustration is typically not at the person correcting, but at ourselves for our lack of knowledge.

Unfortunately, in the heat of the moment, many of us react with defensiveness and anger or—even worse—attack the person giving feedback. But the truth is, we need to get over it. We know there’s value in constructive criticism—how else would we identify weaknesses only to help us maintain relationships and be more successful in everything we do.

You should also try to curtail any reaction you’re having to the person who is delivering the feedback. It can be challenging to receive criticism from a co-worker, a peer, or someone that you don’t fully respect, but, remember: Accurate and constructive feedback comes even from flawed sources