Can you continue to move forward in the midst of negative criticism? “I don’t understand how I gave so much and they did what they did to me!”, the common statement in the 7 plus billion people alive on earth. I think all of us need to go to a bootcamp with two coaches. One coach negatively criticizes you in every way possible. “You can’t do anything right.” “Everything you do is terrible.” “You are the worst.” “You only make mistakes!” “I hate being here with you!” The other coach simultaneously speaks after each one of the other coach’s statements. “Don’t compare yourself to anyone, keep going, DON’T look around, push yourself to the BEST you can do.” “Everything you do makes you, you, don’t be ashamed of who you are or your abilities.” “You are different, you are an original, your own mold of a human being!” “You change lives with your mere presence, you make a difference every step of the way, you are the example!” Then at the end the coach saying all the insults comes to you, puts their hand on your shoulder and tells you, “Listen all I said to you is the norm. People will only look at what’s wrong with you, always, but you can’t let that penetrate into your heart. What my buddy over here, the good coach was telling you, is the voice that has to be in your OWN head, the words no one will tell you but you have to tell yourself, to keep going for YOU, to know yourself and your reaction to the pressure of criticism, your strength in having the resiliency to keep going, to inspire those like you to strive forward, and to witness your character in not resorting to insult them in return. Bootcamp with these two coaches, would be a lesson for life!
