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• Criticism: The expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes.  Oxford Dictionary
• Criticism: The act of expressing disapproval and of noting the problems or faults of a person or thing.  Merriam Webster
• Disapproval: The lack of approval: the belief that someone or something is bad or wrong. Merriam Webster
• Disapproval: Possession or expression of an unfavourable opinion.  Oxford Dictionary
• Rejection,  Approval seeking,  Complaining,  Negativity,  Let go of the need to judge

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Criticism is hard to take and almost always hurts 

• Each man is afraid of his neighbour’s disapproval – a thing which, to the general run of the human race, is more dreaded than wolves and death. Mark Twain
• Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger. Franklin P. Jones
• “When I am criticized, I feel_____________.” If you are like most people, you complete the sentence with words like, “hurt, angry, defensive, dejected, disappointed, embarrassed, put-down, failure, no good, resentful” or other words that communicate the same. Dr. Hendrie Weisinger
• There is nothing pleasant about criticism. Even the best-intentioned critique still stings. People like to be right, correct, and accomplished, and when they’re not, it hurts to hear the truth, no matter how nice your critic tries to be. Kevin Daum

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No-one’s criticism or disapproval can hurt you without your permission 

• No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Eleanor Roosevelt
• Nobody can hurt me without my permission. Mahatma Gandhi
• Never let haters ‘still’ your flow. They can only do so with your permission. F. Hodge
• How on earth can another’s thought harm you? It is your thought about his thought that harms. Change your thought. Vernon Howard
• Another illusion is that external events have the power to hurt you, that other people have the power to hurt you. They don’t. It’s you who give this power to them. Anthony de Mello

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Criticism and disapproval is the price you pay for being fully alive 

• It is impossible to go through life without incurring a good deal of disapproval. It is the way of humanity, the dues you pay for your aliveness. Wayne Dyer
• Disapproval is the price you pay for leading a full, healthy life. Graeme Myburgh
• For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.
• Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. Eleanor Roosevelt
• Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog. Hutchins
• Nobody kicks a dead dog. Dale Carnegie
• Being fully alive

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If you’re never criticised, you may not be doing very much 

• If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much. Donald H. Rumsfeld
• To escape criticism – do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. Elbert Hubbard
• Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. Aristotle
• You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life. Winston Churchill
• If you have no critics you’ll likely have no success. Malcolm X
• You can’t operate a company by fear, because the way to eliminate fear is to avoid criticism. And the way to avoid criticism is to do nothing. Steve Ross quotes

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Don’t leave your mind open to the negativity of others 

• Without doubt, the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people. Napoleon Hill
• I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet. Mahatma Gandhi
• Don’t walk in my head with your dirty feet. Leo Buscaglia
• Don’t let anyone’s ignorance, drama, or negativity stop you from being the best you can be. Marc and Angel Chernoff
• Ignore the negative rhetoric echoing from the peanut gallery. Marc and Angel Chernoff
• Are you a SNIOP? Someone who is Sensitive to the Negative Influence Of Others? Zig Ziglar
• Don’t let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you. Les Brown
• Negativity

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Don’t hang around negative and critical people 

• You don’t have to hang around negative people, you know? They are there to teach you that. Let them go and say good bye. Henri Junttila
• Delete the energy vampires from your life – those people who suck your energy versus elevate it. Robin Sharma
• Letting go of negative people doesn’t mean you hate them, it just means that you care about your own wellbeing. Every time you subtract negative from your life, you make room for more positive.  Marc and Angel Chernoff
• Negative people have an endless supply of pity party invitations. Don’t RSVP.  Marc and Angel Chernoff
• Keep away from people who try to belittle your dreams. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great. Mark Twain

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Many are not too fond of critics 

• The greater part of critics are parasites, who, if nothing had been written, would find nothing to write. Joseph Priestley
• To be a critic, you have to have maybe three percent education, five percent intelligence, two percent style, and ninety percent gall and egomania in equal parts. Judith Crist
• God knows people who are paid to have attitudes toward things, professional critics, make me sick; camp following eunuchs of literature. They won’t even whore. They’re all virtuous and sterile. And how well meaning and high minded. But they’re all camp followers. Ernest Hemingway
• Critics search for ages for the wrong word, which, to give them credit, they eventually find. Peter Ustinov
• “Now, in reality, the world has paid too great a compliment to critics, and has imagined them to be men of much greater profundity then they really are. Henry Fielding 
• There is a certain justice in criticism. The critic is like a midwife – a tyrannical midwife. Stephen Spender

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Critics criticise to feel better about themselves … 

• To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. Will Durant
• Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbours that all his pictures are crooked. Fulton J. Shee
• Criticism is an indirect form of self-boasting. Emmet Fox
• Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. He whom nature has made weak, and idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of a critic. Samuel Johnson 

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… although it often has the opposite effect on them 

• If, however, you take a moment to observe how you actually feel immediately after you criticise someone, you’ll notice that you will feel a little deflated and ashamed, almost like you’re the one who has been attacked. The reason this is true is that when we criticise, it’s a statement to the world and to ourselves, “I have a need to be critical.” This isn’t something we are usually proud to admit. Richard Carlson
• Isn’t it kind of silly to think that tearing someone else down builds you up? Sean Covey

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Critics tend to be those who dislike themselves 

• The people who tend to get most critical and all up in their stuff about how much they dislike us/something we’re doing, tend to be the ones who most strongly dislike themselves. So, why, oh, heavenly why should we give a poop what they think of us if they can’t even form a positive opinion of themselves? Brian Johnson

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Critics tend to be those who aren’t living authentic lives 

• If you find yourself criticizing other people, you’re probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic lives, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own. Individuals who are realized in their own lives almost never criticize others. If they speak at all, it is to offer encouragement. Watch yourself. Of all the manifestations of Resistance, most only harm ourselves. Criticism and cruelty harm others as well. Steven Pressfield

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Critics are often the ones on the sidelines, unable or too scared to do 

• The professional learns to recognize envy-driven criticism and to take it for what it is: the supreme compliment. The critic hates most that which he would have done himself if he had the guts. Steven Pressfield
• Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it’s done, they’ve seen it done every day, but they’re unable to do it themselves. Paulo Coelho
• Criticism is futile and dangerous
• People can be divided into two classes: those who go ahead and do something, and those who sit still and inquire, “Why wasn’t it done the other way?” Oliver Wendell Holmes
• A critic is someone who never actually goes to the battle, yet who afterwards comes out shooting the wounded. Tyne Daly

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Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by criticism 

• Don’t pay attention to the critics. Don’t even ignore them. Samuel Goldwyn
• Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember – the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.  Zig Ziglar
• Don’t waste time responding to your critics. Life’s Little Instruction Book
• Never retract, never explain, never apologize; get things done and let them howl. Nellie McClung
• Answer them [critics] with silence and indifference. It works better, I assure you, than anger and argument. Gioacchino Rossini
• You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one. John Wooden

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Don’t let the fear of criticism stop you from being who you really are … 

• Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind. Dr Seuss
• Don’t let the voice of other people’s opinions drown your inner voice. Steve Jobs

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… even if you’re a round peg in a square hole 

• Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. Apple advertisement

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Don’t let the fear of criticism effect the way you do things 

• Don’t change the way you act or the things you say simply to avoid criticism. Remember, criticism is usually inevitable. And it may just be an indication that you have taken a risk and chosen to tackle something which is a challenge to you. Peter Clemens

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Don’t let the fear of criticism make you conform 

• What the public criticizes in you, cultivate. It is you. Jean Cocteau
• Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. Mark Twain
• Anyone who strives too far from the majority or the conventional wisdom is bound to be labelled ‘arrogant,’ or ‘a maverick,’ ‘a wildman,’ ‘weird,’ or even ‘crazy. John Eliot
• For non-conformity the world whips you with its displeasure. Ralph Waldo Emerson
• All progress occurs because people dare to be different. Henry Miller
• Conformity

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Don’t let criticism stop you following your purposeful path 

• Criticism has few terrors for a man with great purpose. Benjamin Disraeli
• Face your path with courage, don’t be scared of people’s criticism. And, above all, don’t let yourself get paralyzed by your own criticism. Paulo Coelho
• Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Ralph Waldo Emerson
• They will say you are on the wrong road if it is your own. Antonio Porchia
• I do receive much criticism from the outside world…but this does not really touch me because I feel that these people do not live in the same world as I do. Albert Einstein
• So many people seem to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but have no clue how to lead their own. So, focus on your inner callings and keep paving your own path.  Marc and Angel Chernoff
• But instead of spending our lives running towards our dreams, we are often running away from a fear of failure or a fear of criticism. Eric Wright
• Don’t let criticism and insults distract you from your goals and life purpose. There’s a saying that “no good deed goes unpunished. Deal appropriately with damaging criticism, but don’t allow every petty and insignificant critic to pull you off track. Not every snide comment demands a response. Set your intention and keep focused on what’s important in your life, so you can go on giving your gifts to others. Patricia Spadaro
• Purpose

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Stop paying so much attention to the opinions of others … 

• Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you’re lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you’re greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn’t understand. Robert G. Allen
• Criticism is just someone else’s opinion. Even people who are experts in their fields are sometimes wrong. It is up to you to choose whether to believe some of it, none of it, or all of it. What you think is what counts. Rodolfo Costa
• Your high opinion of me is your opinion only. Any moment you may change it. Why attach importance to opinions, even your own? Nisargadatta Maharaj
• I am totally independent of the good or bad opinion of others. Deepak Chopra
• Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality. Les Brown
• Away with the world’s opinion of you—it’s always unsettled and divided. Seneca
• Don’t be intimidated by other people’s opinions. Only mediocrity is sure of itself, so take risks and do what you really want to do. Paulo Coelho
• Patterning your life around others’ opinions is nothing more than slavery. Lawana Blackwell
• It’s a good thing to learn early that other people’s opinions do not matter, unless they happen to be true. Phyllis Bottome

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… for it’s your opinion that really matters 

• What you think of yourself is much more important than what others think of you. Seneca
• Rest satisfied with doing well, and leave others to talk of you as they will. Pythagoras
• Our own heart, and not others’ opinions of us, forms our true honour. Friedrich von Schiller
• What the society thinks is of no interest to me. All that’s important is how I see myself. Robin S. Sharma
• You must begin to trust yourself. If you do not then you will forever be looking to others to prove your merit to you, and you will never be satisfied. Jane Roberts
• If you’re really spiritual, then you should be totally independent of the good and the bad opinions of the world…you should have faith in yourself. Deepak Chopra
• Critics don’t bother me because if I do badly, I know I’m bad before they even write it. And if I’m good, I know I’m good. I know best about myself, so a critic doesn’t anger me. Frank Sinatra

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Remember that great spirits and thinkers have always been criticised 

• Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence. Albert Einstein
• History, though, shows us that the people who end up changing the world—the great political, social, scientific, technological, artistic, even sports revolutionaries—are always nuts, until they’re right, and then they’re geniuses. John Eliot
• Exceptional thinkers ignore their critics and go about their business making history. John Eliot
• No one has ever succeeded in pleasing everyone, and you won’t be the first. Even Jesus, Buddha, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., the Dalai Lama and many pure- hearted world change agents incurred the wrath of those who did not understand them. Great world- movers do not turn back or compromise their integrity for the sake of popular opinion. They are true to their inner guidance and their relationship with their Higher Power. Rather than please people, they please their soul, which is all that really matters. Alan Cohen
• ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’—Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood. Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Every man is the creature of the age in which he lives; very few are able to raise themselves above the ideas of the time. Voltaire
• All great thinkers are initially ridiculed – and eventually revered. Robin S. Sharma
• The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man. George Bernard Shaw
• The better a work is, the more it attracts criticism; it is like the fleas who rush to jump on white linens. Gustave Flaubert

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At the end of the day, you’ll be able to delight in proving your critics wrong 

• A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man. Kites rise against, not with the wind. John Neal
• The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. Walter Bagehot
• Take the stones people throw at you and use them to build a monument. Robin Sharma
• Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it. James Baldwin
• A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. David Brinkley

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Recognise that criticism is a far greater compliment than indifference 

• I was faced more with apathy than opposition. Adrian Cronauer
• I would rather be attacked than unnoticed. For the worst thing you can do to an author is to be silent as to his works. Samuel Johnson
• Indifference is harder to fight than hostility, and there is nothing that kills an agitation like having everybody admit that it is fundamentally right. Crystal Eastman
• The most destructive criticism is indifference. E. W. Howe
• Don’t pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches. Andy Warhol
• Writers shouldn’t fear criticism. Instead, they should fear silence. Criticism is healthy. It gets people thinking about your work and, even better, it gets them talking and arguing. But as for silence — it is the greatest killer of writers. So if you hate a book and want to hurt it — don’t talk about it. And if you hate my books — please, for God’s sake, shout it from the hills! Robert Fanney
• Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog. Hutchins
• Nobody kicks a dead dog. Dale Carnegie
• Apathy and indifference

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To become immune to criticism, become immune to praise too 

• As a solid rock cannot be moved by the wind, the wise are not shaken by praise or blame. Buddha
• Children can’t help crying when their sand castles come crumbling down. My mind is so like them when praise and reputation start to fail. Shantideva
• Court not the critic’s smile nor dread his frown. Sir Walter Scott
• I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free. Georgia O’Keeffe
• I pay no attention whatever to anybody’s praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Just as solid rocks are not shaken by the wind, so wise men are not mound by either blame or praise. Dhammapada
• Self-actualised people are independent of the good opinion of others. Wayne Dyer
• The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment. Elbert Hubbard
• They have great tranquillity of heart who care neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of people. Honoré de Balzac
• Treat praise like criticism: refuse to accept either. Chris Brogan
• You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one. John Wooden
• You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose. Lou Holtz and John Heisler

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There are times when a sincere criticism can be a gift … 

• Criticism can be a form of bullying on the one hand, and on the other hand – if it’s delivered by someone who genuinely has your best interests at heart – it can be a gift. Elly Prior
• Critics are our friends, they show us our faults. Benjamin Franklin
• Criticism opens you up to new perspectives and new ideas you may not have considered. Whenever someone challenges you, they help expand your thinking. Lori Deschene

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… a great opportunity to learn and improve 

• While criticism can be taken as hurtful and demoralizing, it can also be viewed in a positive way: it is honesty, and it can spur us to do better. It’s an opportunity to improve. Leo Babauta
• Dealing with criticism can offer an opportunity to learn. If at all possible, accept the feedback as a gift. It’ll motivate you to do better, change your ways, adjust your communication – or whatever it is that you need to do. Elly Prior
• Don’t mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified it is not criticism, learn from it.
• The Sufi poet Rumi wrote, “Your criticism polishes my mirror.” If you understand who you are and respect yourself, you will not see criticism as a problem but as an opportunity to become a better person.  When you feel inadequate or imperfect, the criticism is threatening and makes you feel that you have to defend yourself.  When you are secure–not perfect, but secure–you can listen to the criticism and consider its value.  You can say, “I’m sorry.” And “thank you for polishing my mirror,” and when it is appropriate you can learn from the criticism and improve your behaviour. I say when it is appropriate because there are some people who love to find fault in others.  That is their problem. Bernie Siegel
• Learning,  Improvement

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Rather be saved by criticism than ruined by praise 

• The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism. Norman Vincent Peale
• Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld
• People ask you for criticism, but they only want praise. Somerset Maugham
• We protest against unjust criticism, but we accept unearned applause. Jose Narosky

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Giving and taking criticism well can enhance your life and relationships 

• Criticism is all around us-in our work relationships, marriages, parenting and friends. It is everywhere. Received openly, it enhances all aspects of our lives, including making a performance appraisal more useful, making a marriage more satisfying, and developing our leadership capacities. Literally dozens of studies support that giving and taking criticism well is crucial to our success in life. Dr. Hendrie Weisinger
• Yet, there is an equal amount of research that indicates giving and taking criticism productively is a key attribute of successful individuals, marriages, and organizations. Here, criticism is used as a tool to promote intimacy, enhance performance, and develop positive relationships. Hendrie Weisinger

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On the other hand, mismanaged criticism can be very damaging 

• A woman’s flattery may inflate a man’s head a little; but her criticism goes straight to his heart, and contracts it so that it can never again hold quite as much love for her. Helen Rowland
• Never criticize your spouse’s faults; if it weren’t for them, your mate might have found someone better than you. Jay Trachman
• People tend to criticize their spouses most loudly in the area where they themselves have the deepest emotional need. Gary Chapman
• At home, there is a plethora of research indicating that frequently mismanaged criticism is a prelude to an unhappy marriage, and parenting skills that impede rather than enhance a child’s development. Hendrie Weisinger

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The first law is not to take criticism personally … 

• Write this agreement on paper, and put it on your refrigerator to remind you all the time: Don’t take anything personally. Don Miguel Ruiz
• Don’t Take Anything Personally. Nothings others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. Don Miguel Ruiz
• I’ve learned to see that someone’s criticism (or praise) is just a projection of what’s going on with them, so I’m less attached to other people’s opinions of me. Brian Johnson
• Men are not against you; they are merely for themselves. Gene Fowler
• Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves. Don Miguel Ruiz
• People will love you, people will hate you, and none of it will have anything to do with you. Abraham-Hicks
• The opinion which other people have of you is their problem, not yours. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
• Whatever people think of you is really about the image they have of you, and that image isn’t you. Don Miguel Ruiz
• Criticism only becomes a problem when we take it to heart, when we take it personally. When we see criticism as a reflection of who we are as human beings, then we face one of the biggest obstacles to living a full life there is. Tom Walsch
• Sometimes what’s directed at you is not about you at all. The person who is complaining may simply be struggling with an internal battle that is spilling over into your life. Patricia Spadaro
• Don’t take things personally

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… even if the criticism feels like an attack 

• It’s important to remember that people who offer advice in a less than caring way might be struggling with their own feelings of inadequacy. When somebody comes at you in an intense way, it may have more to do with them than you. There are likely to be distortions and inaccuracies in what they’re telling you. Harriet Lerner, PhD
• A lot of people dump poison, anger, resentment and criticism. Do not take it personally.  Just smile, wave and wish them well. Joel Osteen

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Remove yourself from the criticism, and look only at the actions criticized 

• Too many times we take criticism as a personal attack, as an insult to who we are. But it’s not. Well, perhaps sometimes it is, but we don’t have to take it that way. Take it as a criticism of your actions, not your person. If you do that, you can detach yourself from the criticism emotionally and see what should be done. Leo Babauta

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Even if you’re feeling defensive, don’t react aggressively 

• The first thing is to accept that you will feel defensive. We all wish that we could become so mature that we’re not vulnerable to the criticisms of others. But that’s not real life. Harriet Lerner, PhD
• Someone has found the courage to confront you with a criticism. That’s an invitation for you to listen, not to strike back with the bad things that they’ve done. Harriet Lerner, PhD
• Being defensive is not a helpful response. You will miss the point if you immediately react defensively. Instead, try not to automatically take it personally, react aggressively to it, immediately try and prove the other person wrong or concentrate on finding fault in the other person. Elly Prior
• Work hard to avoid becoming defensive. Resist any tendency to want to dismiss criticism or retaliate. Gregg Walker
• If your first reaction is to lash back at the person giving the criticism, or to become defensive, take a minute before reacting at all. Take a deep breath, and give it a little thought. Leo Babauta
• By attacking the attacker, you are stooping to his level. Even if the person was mean or rude, you don’t have to be the same way. You don’t have to commit the same sins. By participating in personal attacks, we dirty ourselves. But if we can stay above that level, we feel good about who we are. And that’s the most important benefit of all.  Leo Babauta

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Try your best to have compassion (and even appreciation) for your critic 

• Be compassionate to your criticizer. This can really soften the situation. Giving honest criticism is no fun for most people, and it’s often a case of, “This is going to hurt me as much as it might hurt you.” Danielle LaPorte
• We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship, for to undertake to wound or offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him. Michel Eyquem De Michel de Montaigne
• Compassion

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Try to understand where your critic is coming from 

• Those critics in your life who are close friends and family really just love you and want to see you happy. They may be trying to spare you the pain of making a mistake, or they might believe that they really know what’s best for you. Erika Nicole Finn

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Adopt an attitude of open curiosity … 

• “Be curious about criticism,” is the prescription for regulating your defensive arousal. This allows you to approach criticism with a friendlier attitude, and as a result, you can become more physically relaxed and learn. Hendrie Weisinger
• To spark your curiosity and buffer your defensiveness, develop a curious attitude about criticism: “Criticism is information that can help me grow. How can this information help me? What is it the person wants me to know?” Hendrie Weisinger
• Curiosity

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… by listening actively and asking questions 

• Being able to shift out of that defensive place to a position of pure listening is the ultimate spiritual act. Harriet Lerner, PhD
• Ask questions only to understand. Try to wrap your brain around the piece you can agree with—and run with that. Harriet Lerner, PhD
• Listen actively. Even though criticism may hurt, seek to understand accurately the criticism being presented. Paraphrase what the other is saying.  Ask questions to increase understanding.  Gregg Walker
• Next time someone decides to tell you how you’ve messed something up, or how much you’ve hurt them, or just how wrong you are in general, take a few deep breaths—and keep listening. Then take responsibility for what you can, dust yourself off, and keep going. Sarah Goodyear
• Questions

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Source as much information as possible 

• When you’re dealing with criticism (fair or unfair) here are some ideas on what to do next: 1. Determine if the critic has all the information – don’t be afraid to assert yourself. 2. Ensure the information is accurate and unbiased (as far as possible). Calmly ask for further explanation.  4. Find out how the information was gathered. 5. Consider if there is a misunderstanding.  6.  Consider whether the intent may have been to deliberately hurt you.  7. Ask for a break to do some thinking (and to calm down!)  Elly Prior

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Assess the criticism and the source for validity and motive 

• The first thing you need to do is determine whether or not the person delivering the criticism is important to you. Do you value their opinion? Alan Henry
• It’s important to get an accurate read on a situation to decide the best way to respond. There’s a big difference between constructive criticism from someone who loves you and getting bashed by someone who is out to discredit you and hurt your feelings. You’ll need to get some objectivity before deciding whether it’s right to speak up or let it go. Try this: Pull away from the situation and look at it without ego, as if you were observing someone else’s life. Is it possible you are being overly sensitive, or has someone treated you like a doormat for no reason? A clear sense of which it is will help you find the best solution.  Patricia Spadaro

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Assess what is true and useful 

• Ask yourself: What part of this criticism is useful? Filter out the things that are actionable and repeatable from what can often be a lot of subjective opinion. Write down those useful tidbits in your own words. Doing this removes the heightened emotion and lets you step back from the criticism, look at the it with clear eyes. Turn those titbits into goals.  Alan Henry
• Instead of overreacting to criticism and going on the attack, summon the courage to ask yourself: Does this criticism include the tiniest morsel of truth about me that I can learn from? Then ask yourself (and even the person who criticized you) how you can do better. That missing piece of information may very well be the key to your next spiritual and emotional growth spurt. Patricia Spadaro
• Sure, it may be rude and mean, but in most criticism, you can find a nugget of gold: honest feedback and a suggestion for improvement. Leo Babauta

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Admit if it hurts 

• Admit that it stings. “Ouch. That’s hard to hear. But I’m up for it.” Honesty when criticized is a great equalizer and a show of nobility and maturity. Danielle LaPorte
• Communicate clearly how you feel and think about the criticism and receiving criticism. Use “I” messages. Gregg Walker

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Don’t react – yet 

• Sometimes it’s best to just listen and simply say, “I’ve heard you. Let me process what you’ve said and I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” So many of us are so adrift from our deep sensitivity that it takes some time to clearly know how we feel. So just take the time, it’s better than a half-cocked reaction that you’ll regret. And if you do say something you regret, or you don’t say what you think you should have… Danielle LaPorte
• When you’re on the receiving end, let your critic speak their mind. If you debate on the spot, you’ll appear closed and defensive. Better to agree to consider the feedback in the moment. Then you can revisit the conversation with careful thought and perhaps a little critique of your own if warranted. You’ll be taken more seriously when your response is thoroughly contemplated and well-articulated. Kevin Daum

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Even if you recognise the criticism is valid, don’t beat yourself up 

• Whatever the reason was for you having to deal with criticism, just remember that there’s so much more to you than whatever it was that got criticised. You are not your thoughts. You are not your feelings. You are not your behaviour. You are not your work. You are not your art. You are not your performance. You are not your scores. You are not your sport. There is much more to you than any of these aspects. Elly Prior
• Every person living has made mistakes. Those who proceed with living never waste time licking their wounds. New ideas take them the next step of the way. Raymond Charles Barker

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Go back to it as many times as you need to 

• Feel free to bring it up again, even if it was a closed subject. “I thought more about what you said and I just wanted to let you know that….” It’s better to clear the air after the fact than it is to bury your feelings. Danielle LaPorte

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If the criticism is justified, accept it calmly and agree on a resolution 

• When you feel the criticism is justified, accept the criticism calmly – we all make mistakes. Agree briefly, depending on what happened. Avoid endless explanations and excuses. Make amends, learn from your mistakes, let it go and move on. Elly Prior
• If you’re being asked to improve in some way, then ask for specific measurables … you can’t run a race if you don’t know where the finish line is. Be extra diligent about checking in on mutual satisfaction. Danielle LaPorte

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Thank the critic 

• Even if someone is harsh and rude, thank them. They might have been having a bad day, or maybe they’re just a negative person in general. But even so, your attitude of gratitude will probably catch them off-guard. And you know what?  My habit of thanking my critics has actually won a few of them over. Even if the critic doesn’t take your “thank you” in a good way, it’s still good to do — for yourself. It’s a way of reminding yourself that the criticism was a good thing for you, a way of keeping yourself humble.  Leo Babauta

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If the criticism is false and damaging, make sure you communicate your side of the story 

• To get clarity, take some deep breaths and pull out of a piece of paper. On one side, write down the false statement. On the other side, write down the truth as you see it. Ask to meet in person with those who have the misunderstanding and calmly explain how you feel and what the facts really are. If necessary, also put the correction in writing and send it to those involved. Even if others don’t accept the truth, you have stood up for yourself and can move on. Patricia Spadaro

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Whether the criticism is justified or not, forgive, let go and move on 

• The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment. Elbert Hubbard
• Some people criticize as a way of projecting their own issues onto others or taking the focus off their own inadequacies, and there is nothing you can do about it. Continually dwelling on their childish behaviour or holding a grudge will only keep you stuck. Instead of allowing your precious energy and attention to be sapped by naysayers, free yourself by forgiving, letting go, and moving on. Don’t speak about your critics with bitterness or blame. Treat them with respect, model the appropriate behaviour yourself, and you might just spur a change of heart in them as well. Patricia Spadaro

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When criticism is abusive and habitual, set boundaries 

• Decide on a specific action you will take if the judger in your life continues to bombard you with criticism. Clearly, lovingly, and firmly tell him or her what you will do if it happens again. For example, you may decide to leave the room, politely excuse yourself from the phone call, or, if it’s serious enough, end the relationship altogether. Be sure to follow through and take that action. When you honour yourself, you are training other people to honor you. Patricia Spadaro

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Accelerate your learning by asking for constructive criticism 

• Asking for criticism is one of the best ways to learn about yourself. Hendrie Weisinger
• Accelerate your learning by soliciting criticism from those around you. And, phrase it positively: “What are some things that I could be doing better?” Not: What am I doing wrong?” Hendrie Weisinger

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Resist the urge to criticise others …  

• Resist the urge to criticize. Criticism, like swearing, is actually nothing more than a bad habit. When we criticise, it is a statement to the world and to ourselves “I have a need to be critical.” Richard Carlson
• You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks. Winston Churchill
• Don’t criticize something you know nothing about. It only brings people down and makes everyone miserable. Laura Hall
• I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes. What matters is not what I think of him; it is what he thinks of himself. To undermine a man’s self-respect is a sin. Antoine de Saint- Exupery

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… especially in areas you yourself don’t excel in 

• It is ridiculous for any man to criticize the works of another if he has not distinguished himself by his own performances. Joseph Addison
• One mustn’t criticize other people on grounds where he can’t stand perpendicular himself. Mark Twain

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Criticism is one of the four emotional cancers … 

• Avoid the four emotional cancers: criticizing, complaining, comparing, and competing. Stephen Covey
• Watch out for the joy-stealers: gossip, criticism, complaining, fault-finding, and a negative, judgmental attitude. Joyce Meyer

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… and comes at heavy price 

• When you throw dirt, you lose ground. Texan Proverb
• You can’t hold a man down without staying down with him. Booker T. Washington
• Criticisms are like homing pigeons. They always return home. Dale Carnegie
• The pleasure of criticizing takes away from us the pleasure of being moved by some very fine things. Jean de La Bruyère

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Criticism almost always arouses resentment 

• Criticism is futile because it puts a person on the defensive and usually makes one strive to justify him or herself. Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a person’s precious pride, hurts one’s sense of importance, and arouses resentment. Dale Carnegie
• Resentment

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No statue has been ever been erected in honour of a critic 

• Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.  Jean Sibelius
• There has never been a statue erected to honour a critic. Zig Ziglar

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Instead of criticising, go out there and be a courageous doer 

• Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain – and most fools do. Dale Carnegie
• It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives on valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat. Theodore Roosevelt
• A non-doer is very often a critic. It is easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort and risk. Wayne Dyer
• Action

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Instead of criticising, create something 

• Spend your time and energy creating, not criticizing. Jackson Brown, Jr
• Destroying things is much easier than making them. Suzanne Collins
• It’s easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It’s a lot more difficult to perform one. Chuck Palahniuk
• There is nothing as easy as denouncing. It doesn’t take much to see that something is wrong, but it takes some eyesight to see what will bring it right again.  Will Rogers
• I criticize by creation, not by finding fault. Cicero
• It’s easier to critique than create.
• Criticism is easy, art is difficult. Philippe Destouches
• Creative expression

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Instead of criticising, go out there and help or change things 

• If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it.
• One has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. Abraham Lincoln

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Instead of criticising, focus on your own growth 

• I promise myself to give so much time to improving myself that I have no time to criticize others. Christian D. Larson
• Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others. Jackson Brown, Jr.
• Growth

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Instead of criticising, be a model 

• Be a model, not a critic. Stephen Covey
• Children need models rather than critics. Joseph Jouber

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Instead of criticising, work on your own faults 

• Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize? Marcus Aurelius
• Don’t judge other people. It’s better to work on your own faults. Tim Hansel
• Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Jesus (Matthew 7:3)
• Do not look for faults in others, but look for faults in yourself, and purge them like bad blood. Advice from Atisha’s Heart
• Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do. Buddha

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Instead of criticising, encourage 

• Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize. Elizabeth Harrison
• Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you. William Arthur Ward
• Encouragement

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Instead of criticising, look for the good in people 

• It is much more valuable to look for the strength in others. You can gain nothing by criticizing their imperfections. Daisaku Ikeda
• How would your life be different if you stopped making negative judgmental assumptions about people you encounter? Let today be the day you look for the good in everyone you meet and respect their journey. Steve Maraboli
• Let’s trade in all our judging for appreciating. Let’s lay down our righteousness and just be together. Ram Dass

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Instead of criticising, understand 

• But then every man is ludicrous if you look at him from outside, without taking into account what’s going on in his heart and mind. Aldous Huxley
• Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving. Dale Carnegie
• If you would judge, understand. Seneca
• Don’t criticize what you can’t understand. Bob Dylan
• Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes. Elvis Presley
• Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land, And don’t criticize What you can’t understand. Bob Dylan
• Criticism is a misconception: we must read not to understand others but to understand ourselves. Emile M. Cioran
• The lot of critics is to be remembered by what they failed to understand. George Moore
• Understanding

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For the next 24 hours, try not criticising anybody 

• Just to see how it feels, for the next twenty-four hours refrain from criticizing anybody or anything. Jackson Brown Jr.

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If you must criticise, make it constructive 

• People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way. C. Benson
• The whole point of giving feedback is to help the person to improve. Hence, you want to talk about things which the person can do something about, rather than things which are outside of his/her control. Ross Bonander
• All criticism involves some element of demolition: wrong conduct to be torn down, wrong beliefs to be razed. But the ultimate aim is to build something better, even beautiful, in its place. If our motive is to leave a person’s life in smouldering ruins, then we are doing the devil’s work. But if our aim is a better person, a stronger person, a more mature person, then we are in the profitable business of constructive criticism. David Murray

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If you must criticise, be gentle and kind … 

• Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots. Frank A. Clark
• You can thaw out even the most severe criticism by tenderizing your language. Opening with “It seems to me…,” or “I could be wrong, but…” makes it less likely that your point is compromised by arrogance or rudeness. Ross Bonander 
• It’s important that you be gentle and kind in your suggestions. People have a hard time accepting any criticism, gentle or not, but if it’s harsh, it’ll almost always have bad consequences. Instead, ask yourself, “Would I like to hear that about myself?” And: “If so, what would be the nicest way to say it?” Leo Babauta
• Gentleness,  Kindness

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… avoiding an insulting language 

• If you use insulting or degrading language, or put down the person in any way, they will focus on that, and not on the rest of the criticism. Leo Babauta

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Be sure your criticism comes from the right intention 

• The motive behind criticism often determines its validity. Those who care criticize where necessary.  Those who envy criticize the moment they think that they have found a weak spot.  Criss Jami
• Before you offer criticism, consider your reasons. If your motive is simply to hurt someone, vent your frustrations or to boost your ego, I suggest you stop yourself and think long and hard about why you feel the need to do that. On the other hand, using criticism to help someone improve, to see a change affected, or to contribute to a discussion, are all good reasons for doing it. Leo Babauta

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Be sure what your desired outcome is 

• Have a clear objective. Ask yourself what is the best possible outcome of this critique. If you are simply venting with no intention, you won’t likely achieve anything but rancour and resentment. Kevin Daum

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Plan what you’re going to say 

• Use fewer words with more meaning. The more you say, the more likely you will distract from the key points and make them hard to remember. Plan your conversation in advance and in writing so the subject can walk away with clear direction on how to improve. Kevin Daum

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Start and end with something positive 

• A technique of constructive criticism is called the “sandwich method” in which one sandwiches the meat of a criticism between two positive comments. Hence, instead of saying “You did a lousy job writing this report,” using the sandwich method one could say “You did a great job on the introduction, but the middle section and conclusion seem a little weak. With a bit more work, I’m sure you can tighten it up into a really good report.” Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.

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Focus on what can be done, not what’s been done 

• Refer to specific opportunities for improvement and avoid singling out inadequacies. Keeping your criticisms positive is both tactful and essential. It’s less disparaging for the person to hear that he has overlooked an opportunity than it is to be told that his current ideas are incompetent or defective. Ross Bonander 

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Request a specific change in the future instead of pointing out something negative in the present 

• Most would agree that hearing “In the future, please remember to put your dishes in the dishwasher instead of leaving them in the sink” is far preferable to “You have to stop leaving your dirty dishes in the sink!” So, instead of saying “You left the hall light on again,” try saying, “In the future, please remember to turn off the hall light.” Instead of, “I wish you’d stop wasting all of our money!” say, “In future, let’s discuss our spending plans.”  Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.

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Make sure your criticism is backed with evidence 

• Can you prove it? Can you point to evidence to support your criticism? Is “I think…” and “I feel…” and “I suspect…” the best you’ve got? Then let it go. David Murray

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Offer positive suggestions 

• Instead of criticizing, which is rarely taken well, offer a specific, positive suggestion. A suggestion can be positive, it can be seen as helpful, it can be seen as an instrument for improvement and change. People often take suggestions well (but not always). Leo Babauta

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State observations, not interpretations 

• Observations are what you see occur; interpretations are your analysis or opinion of what you see occur. Tell what you’ve noticed, not what you think of it, and report the behaviour you notice at a concrete level, instead of as a characterization of the behaviour. Observations have a far more factual and non-judgmental aspect than do interpretations. Marty Brounstein

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Practice using “I-statements” rather than “You- statements.” 

• When people receive messages that start with “You,” such as “You didn’t do this,” “You never do that,” “You always do the following,” it is natural for them to feel attacked and take a defensive or even a retaliative position. Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.
• A spouse says: “I can’t believe how selfish you are! All you do is sit around expecting to be waited on and don’t even help with the dishes.” That’s a pretty critical You- message, right? Compare it to an I- message: “I would really appreciate it if you helped me around the house more especially with the dishes.” Or, “You could call your mother more than once a month, you know” vs. “I think your mother would love to hear from you more often.”  Clifford N. Lazarus, Ph.D.

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Never criticise the person; only the actions 

• If you focus on the person (“You’re a lousy writer”) instead of their actions, you will make them angry or defensive or hurt. Leo Babauta
• Never criticize the person. Always criticize the actions. And when you’re making suggestions, make suggestions about actions, not about the person. Leo Babauta
• Focus criticism on behaviours that the other person can change.

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Limit your criticism 

• Criticism should be more like a sniper’s bullet than buckshot. It aims at one specific target and refuses to take pot-shots at anything else. David Murray
• Avoid critical overload. Give the other an amount of critical feedback that she or he can handle or understand at that time. Greg Walker

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Make your criticism infrequent 

• Some people think that a little bit of praise sprinkled here and there permits them to launch frequent nuclear missiles at their unfortunate targets. In Practicing Affirmation, Sam Crabtree suggests a praise/criticism ratio of at least 3:1 and preferably closer to 5:1. David Murray 

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Be humble 

• Have you ever changed as a result of an arrogant person pointing out your faults? No, neither have I. In fact, I’ve probably determined to do what was critiqued even more. But when a person humbly comes alongside me, confesses his own faults, admits his own struggles, maybe even in that particular area, then my ears are open and so is my heart. David Murray
• Humility

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When you criticise

• Understand why you are offering criticism.
• Try to understand the perspective of the person being criticized.
• Offer criticism of the person’s behaviour, not on her or his “person.”
• Focus your criticism on a particular situation rather than general or abstract behavior.
• Emphasize in your criticism your perceptions and feelings. Use “I” statements.
• Don’t attack, insult, or be mean in any way.
• Don’t tell the person he’s wrong.
• Invite a collaborative discussion of possible solutions.
• Present criticism in ways that allow the other party to make decisions.
• Share how it affects you.
• Be direct.
• Never make personal attacks.
• Get your facts straight.
• Be specific.
• Never give criticism in public.
• Avoiding personal attacks and blaming.
• Don’t make assumptions.
• Give recommendations on how to improve.
• Use gentle humour if possible.

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Most of all, stop criticising yourself 

• I am my own biggest critic. Before anyone else has criticized me, I have already criticized myself. But for the rest of my life, I am going to be with me and I don’t want to spend my life with someone who is always critical. So I am going to stop being my own critic. It’s high time that I accept all the great things about me. JoyBell C.
• It is time to stop telling yourself negative things that you wouldn’t dream of saying to a friend, but that you habitually say to yourself. Amanda Harvey
• If I had it to do again, I would less often judge myself and more often ask for a jury. Robert Brault
• Constant self-criticism makes it harder for you to deal appropriately with criticism from others. In a sense, you’re bullying yourself. It’s very unlikely that you’d say the things you’re telling yourself to your best friend. Yet you’re happy to undermine yourself? It’s time to stop.  Elly Prior

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Self-criticism stops you from being able to change 

• Loving the self, to me, begins with never criticizing ourselves for anything. Criticism locks us into the very pattern we are trying to change. Understanding and being gentle with ourselves helps us to move out of it. Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens. Louise L. Hay

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Replace your inner critic with your inner protector 

• There are an inner critic and an inner protector inside each of us. For most people, that inner critic is continually yammering away, looking for something, anything, to find fault with. It magnifies small failings into big ones, punishes you over and over for things long past, ignores the larger context, and doesn’t credit you for your efforts to make amends. That’s why you need your inner protector to stick up for you: to put your weaknesses and misdeeds in perspective, to highlight your many good qualities surrounding your lapses, to encourage you to return to the high road even if you’ve gone down the low one, and—frankly—to tell that inner critic to Hush Up Now. Rick Hanson

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Replace self-criticism with self-encouragement 

• Criticism breaks down the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing. Louise L. Hay
• Fire your inner critic and reinstate your inner fan club. Alan Cohen
• We all have the tendency to believe self-doubt and self-criticism, but listening to this voice never gets us closer to our goals. Instead, try on the point of view of a mentor or good friend who believes in you, wants the best for you, and will encourage you when you feel discouraged. Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

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Replace self-criticism with self-love, acceptance and compassion 

• Each one of us has a three-year-old child within us, and we often spend most of our time yelling at that kid in ourselves. Then we wonder why our lives don’t work. Be kind to yourself. Begin to love and approve of yourself. That’s what the little child needs in order to express itself as its highest potential. Louise L. Hay
• Translate all self-judgments into self-empathy. Marshall B. Rosenberg
• You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens. Louise L. Hay
• Self-love,  Self-acceptance,  Self-compassion

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If you must critique your work, do it when you’re in good mood 

• One should never criticize his own work except in a fresh and hopeful mood. The self- criticism of a tired mind is suicide. Charles Horton Cooley
• Mood

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Some argue criticism has its place … 

• Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body.  It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. Winston Churchill
• Criticism has the power to do good when there is something that must be destroyed, dissolved, or redirected, but it is capable only of harm when there is something to be built. Carl Jung
• Just let me go, we have to be able to criticize what we love, to say what we have to say ’cause if you’re not trying to make something better, then as far as I can tell, you are just in the way. Ani Difranco
• The critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising. Pauline Kael

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… especially when it comes to government and societal issues 

• I discovered very quickly that criticism is a form of optimism, and that when you are silent about the shortcomings of your society, you’re very pessimistic about that society. And it’s only when you speak truthfully about it that you show your faith in that society. Carlos Fuentes
• When I am abroad, I always make it a rule to never criticize or attack the government of my own country. I make up for lost time when I come home. Winston Churchill
• Honest and earnest criticism from those whose interests are most nearly touched, – criticism of writers by readers, of government by those governed, of leaders by those led, – this is the soul of democracy and the safeguard of modern society. E.B. Du Bois
• I make a fortune from criticizing the policy of the government, and then hand it over to the government in taxes to keep it going. George Bernard Shaw
• Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom of the press. Hugo Black

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Thought on art and literature criticism 

• Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post what it feels about dogs. John Osborne
• The artist doesn’t have time to listen to the critics. The ones who want to be writers read the reviews, the ones who want to write don’t have the time to read reviews. William Faulkner
• A true critic ought to dwell upon excellencies rather than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation. Joseph Addison
• Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well; the chiefest part of which is to observe those excellencies which delight a reasonable reader. John Dryden
• In the finest critics, one hears the full cry of the human. They tell one why it matters to read. Harold Bloom
• We are not trying to entertain the critics. I’ll take my chances with the public. Walt Disney
• Art

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How the rich love to criticise the poor 

• Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed. Herman Melville
• Do not presume, well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed, to criticize the poor. Herman Melville

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Critics

• A critic is a bunch of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste. Whitney Balliett
• A critic is a gong at a railroad crossing clanging loudly and vainly as the train goes by. Christopher Morley
• A critic is a legless man who teaches running. Channing Pollock
• A critic is a man who knows the way but can’t drive the car. Kenneth Tynan
• A critic is someone who never actually goes to the battle yet who afterwards comes out shooting the wounded. Tyne Daly
• A critic often has to play the role of coroner dissecting a work to find out why it died (or never lived). David Edelstein
• A drama critic is a man who leaves no turn unstoned. George Bernard Shaw
• A drama critic is a person who surprises the playwright by informing him what he meant. Wilson Mizner
• An art critic is someone who appreciates art, except for any particular piece of art. Robert Brault
• Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost how it feels about dogs. Christopher Hampton
• Critic: Someone who is at his best when you are at your worst.   Pettito Tony
• Critic: One quick-on-the-flaw.
• Critic: One who boasts of being “hard to please” because nobody tries to please him.
• The difference between critics and audiences is that one is a group of humans and one is not. Edward Albee
• Painting: The art of protecting flat surfaces from the weather and exposing them to the critic. Ambrose Bierce
• If my critics saw me walking over the Thames they would say it was because I couldn’t swim. Margaret Thatcher
• If Attila the Hun were alive today he’d be a drama critic. Edward Albee
• The critic has to educate the public; the artist has to educate the critic. Oscar Wilde

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More light-hearted quotes

• All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
• Any fool can criticize condemn and complain and most fools do. Benjamin Franklin
• Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes. Jack Handey
• Before you go and criticize the younger generation, just remember who raised them.
• Crude is the name of Robert Hyde’s first novel; it is also a criticism of it. Dorothy Parker
• Don’t pay any attention to the critics; don’t even ignore them. Samuel Goldwyn
• Don’t try to win over the haters; you are not a jackass whisperer. Brené Brown
• For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism. Harrison’s Postulate
• Honest criticism is hard to take particularly from a relative a friend an acquaintance or a stranger. Franklin Jones
• I can take any amount of criticism so long as it is unqualified praise. Noel Coward
• I have derived continued benefit from criticism at all periods of my life and I do not remember any time when I was ever short of it. Winston Churchill
• I have never found in a long experience of politics that criticism is ever inhibited by ignorance. Harold Macmillan
• I love criticism just so long as it’s unqualified praise. Noel Coward
• I want to meet a guy named Art. I’d take him to a museum, hang him on the wall, criticize him, and leave. Jarod Kintz
• If criticism had any power to harm the skunk would be extinct by now. Fred Allen
• If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one go ahead get married. Katharine Hepburn
• Middle age is when you stop criticizing the older generation and start criticizing the younger one. Laurence J. Peter
• Never criticize Americans; they have the best taste that money can buy. Miles Kington
• No one so thoroughly appreciates the value of constructive criticism as the one who’s giving it. Hal Chadwick
• Remember if people talk behind your back, it only means you’re two steps ahead! Fannie Flagg
• The covers of this book are too far apart. Ambrose Bierce
• The cyclist injured in an accident with a bus is said from hospital this evening to be critical – especially of the bus driver.
• To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. Fred Shero
• You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose. Lou Holtz

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