Sakshi Education
-An Article By Shachi Maheshwari
Every person thinks he is born to perform and also believes that he is trying to perform his best in whatever he is doing. For any person to believe that he should not perform is a last sentence to give a prey to. Every one of us believes that we are trying to do our best in whatever we are doing; whether it is our professional front, personal front or any other self sustaining front. We all learn varied things to really enjoy that truth, that we did our bit to perform and that we are justifying our existence on this earth.
If you are a student, you would try to be a good student, get good marks, make friends, interact with mentors, try excelling in the subjects, etc. If you are a fresher, you would try to perform better and better by observing the way you are giving interviews or updating the current knowledge in your field or learning better presentation skills. If you are a professional, you would try to give best reports, try to be the best performer for everything you do in office.
No one can actually say “I am not doing anything at all for my performance”. But the fact remains that if this performance guarantee is expected to come from others, it may not necessarily come positive. Sometimes it may come by way of critical appreciation or sometimes it can come as a pure criticism without any appreciation.
What do appreciations and criticism do?
Appreciation tends to boost our confidence and uphold our self esteem in a way, where we feel sure we are doing well. Hence, everyone aims at getting the maximum appreciations in life, from people around. These appreciations not only play mentally but emotionally too, for the growth of a person.
Criticism tends to demoralize some times. Criticism is looked upon as a derogatory and negative way by the person who receives it. But in a way a criticism is equally an acknowledgement that some efforts have been put on the performance and they are in right direction also. What it needs is a little improvement in the efforts. Because it’s not the appreciation by others which indicates that the person has performed.
Appreciation and criticism are two ways, how a person can ascertain that he is performing in life.
Now you may ask, what are those other ways of appreciation?
Appreciation from others is the smallest of all. Other ways of appreciations are appreciation from self, self analysis, criticism, critical appreciation, etc.
Why we never bother about the other ways of appreciation at all? Well, because we have been taught to believe that only if people around you say you are good, you are really good.
I completely refute this theory, for a simple reason that, each and every person knows how good or how bad he has been. Honestly speaking, when you find a person doing something wrong and if you tell him he has done wrong, he would feel bad. But he does not feel bad that you pointed out to him that he is doing wrong; instead he is annoyed on the fact that up till now only he knew he was doing wrong, now there is one more person who knows he is doing wrong. Nevertheless, all wrongs may still continue but another person also has knowledge of that is what bothers that person.
A very profound theory of growth points out that any progress in a person for his career or personal front, self analysis only works if he is motivated to perform further.
If a person is passionate to achieve something in life,
For a person who has to achieve something, his target should be to take everything whether it is analysis, appreciation or criticism as one instrument to move forward and keep moving to achieve what he intends to. Rest all is unimportant for him.
Every person has an opportunity to respond to constructive criticism and to ignore the unimportant suggestions; practicality of a suggestion is totally the discretion and responsibility of the person who has to do that because ultimately he is the king to make golden rules to his life and dreams. He is the one who is the achiever and loser. Hence, a wise man is one who is grateful for both appreciation and criticism and believes in using this opportunity to put his efforts for achieving what he is trying to achieve because –
“Life gives an opportunity to all for choosing to believe that everything which comes my way will always help me to grow.”
If you are a student, you would try to be a good student, get good marks, make friends, interact with mentors, try excelling in the subjects, etc. If you are a fresher, you would try to perform better and better by observing the way you are giving interviews or updating the current knowledge in your field or learning better presentation skills. If you are a professional, you would try to give best reports, try to be the best performer for everything you do in office.
No one can actually say “I am not doing anything at all for my performance”. But the fact remains that if this performance guarantee is expected to come from others, it may not necessarily come positive. Sometimes it may come by way of critical appreciation or sometimes it can come as a pure criticism without any appreciation.
What do appreciations and criticism do?
Appreciation tends to boost our confidence and uphold our self esteem in a way, where we feel sure we are doing well. Hence, everyone aims at getting the maximum appreciations in life, from people around. These appreciations not only play mentally but emotionally too, for the growth of a person.
Criticism tends to demoralize some times. Criticism is looked upon as a derogatory and negative way by the person who receives it. But in a way a criticism is equally an acknowledgement that some efforts have been put on the performance and they are in right direction also. What it needs is a little improvement in the efforts. Because it’s not the appreciation by others which indicates that the person has performed.
Appreciation and criticism are two ways, how a person can ascertain that he is performing in life.
Now you may ask, what are those other ways of appreciation?
Appreciation from others is the smallest of all. Other ways of appreciations are appreciation from self, self analysis, criticism, critical appreciation, etc.
- Self Appreciation:
Every one of us is really aware of the fact that we are doing our best. Whether that is enough or not is the call which a person needs to take. The capacity of every person to do the same things is different and so only the person himself can decide whether he did his best or not. The moment this is coming to his mind, he becomes aware of his self-worth and self-efforts. Becoming aware of your own self on your efforts is a kind of self appreciation which acts as key to self motivation and will keep the person going.
- Self-analysis:
This is another tool to know that you are performing. There are a lot of books on self-help and self-analysis which will help you on this topic. There are tools which establish the fact that a person is going better and better. A person can apply those tools and know about his performance.
- Criticism:
Criticism is a remark or opinion made by people on you. If you are an intelligent person you will wisely pick up one fact that, you were observed and you were performing; and half of your job is done by the other person in that case. He is showing you the direction in which you can move to improve. A critical appraisal or criticism is the best thing which can happen to a person with least of his energy. Of course, when I say criticism, I am talking about positive and growth criticism by people, who are helping you to do better. But all said and done one thing is sure you are performing. You can always do better day by day and year on year which is a continuous process though.
Why we never bother about the other ways of appreciation at all? Well, because we have been taught to believe that only if people around you say you are good, you are really good.
I completely refute this theory, for a simple reason that, each and every person knows how good or how bad he has been. Honestly speaking, when you find a person doing something wrong and if you tell him he has done wrong, he would feel bad. But he does not feel bad that you pointed out to him that he is doing wrong; instead he is annoyed on the fact that up till now only he knew he was doing wrong, now there is one more person who knows he is doing wrong. Nevertheless, all wrongs may still continue but another person also has knowledge of that is what bothers that person.
A very profound theory of growth points out that any progress in a person for his career or personal front, self analysis only works if he is motivated to perform further.
- He appreciates his efforts
- He will learn from other’s mistakes.
- He is responding constructively on criticism or appreciations.
- He will accept his wrongs graciously.
- He will be receptive to criticism to pick up his points of improvements.
- He will have a goal and he will only target to achieve that goal no matter what.
- He keeps working on his journey and efforts.
For a person who has to achieve something, his target should be to take everything whether it is analysis, appreciation or criticism as one instrument to move forward and keep moving to achieve what he intends to. Rest all is unimportant for him.
Every person has an opportunity to respond to constructive criticism and to ignore the unimportant suggestions; practicality of a suggestion is totally the discretion and responsibility of the person who has to do that because ultimately he is the king to make golden rules to his life and dreams. He is the one who is the achiever and loser. Hence, a wise man is one who is grateful for both appreciation and criticism and believes in using this opportunity to put his efforts for achieving what he is trying to achieve because –
“Life gives an opportunity to all for choosing to believe that everything which comes my way will always help me to grow.”
 Author: Shachi Maheshwari You may reach the author at shachimg@yahoo.com |
Published date : 13 Dec 2017 04:45PM
