INTERNET GRANDFATHER®

Self-Criticism

                                    In order to deliver our best performance, to do our best for ourselves and others, we need to understand ourselves, understand our capabilities, our flaws, our goals and desires. The process of self-criticism or self-analysis is part of the way we learn these things. To self-analyze or self-criticize, we must look at ourselves. We must look at past performance, understand when we were weak and when we were strong. see when we should have chosen another path, when we should have continued doing what we were doing. We must also look at the present; we look at how we have changed, what we are thinking and feeling, what are our present capabilities. This will help us have a better future.

                                             Self-criticism helps us correct the mistakes of the past by understanding them; if we can understand them. we can avoid similar mistakes in the future. In preparing for the next battle, self-criticism also helps us see the present more clearly,  teaches us what weapons we need, how to deploy our armor, how to move forward.

                                              But excessive self-criticism, self-analysis that focuses exclusively on our weaknesses and failures, analysis that gives us no credit for our strengths, is dangerous. Self-criticism can be the most scathing, the most brutal, the most unfair of all criticism. Our self-analysis must be balanced, must recognize the good and the bad, if it is to have any good purpose.

                                              Be analytical, be self-critical and do everything you can to improve your performance. But don't let self-criticism lead you to surrender, to hopelessness. Correct errors, do everything you can to improve, but give yourself credit for the good things. Move forward optimistically with all the strength you have. In that way you have the best chance to help yourself and others. 

9-3-07

[Regular readers will have noticed that I have missed my usual schedule recently. I've suffered from some minor illnesses and distractions. I apologize for letting them get me down and promise to renew my efforts to stick to my desired weekly schedule unless I announce it in advance.]