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Stoicism for Criticism
Criticism is only useful if it is true; if it is false, it is someone else’s error, not yours. The Stoic listens for the part that helps, ignores the rest, and does not hand their self-worth to the reviewer.
Stoic ideas for this
“How much trouble he avoids who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only to what he does himself, that it may be just and pure.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
“If you want to improve, be content to appear foolish and stupid to others.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
Zeno of Citium
Put it into practice
A Stoic tool is only useful if you actually use it. Try this small loop the next time criticism shows up:
- Name it plainly. Say what is happening without the story you are adding on top of it.
- Split what’s yours from what isn’t. Invest your energy only in the part you can actually choose.
- Do one small thing. A single deliberate action today beats a week of intending to.
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