We all have critics in our life. If only they were paid, they would be rich! They slice and dice everything you do. Can you ever be good enough? Why can’t your strengths, be like your brother’s, or the kid who lives down the street or like the head of the firm where you work?

Critics wail at your limitations. Why can’t you be more...? If only you were more of a… if only you could… We all have people around us who are very much aware of our limitations. There will be many critics of your life. People will be unhappy at a decision that you made, or how you dress, or the way that you do things. At work and at home, we will always have critics.

Teddy Roosevelt delivered a speech in 1910 at the Sorbonne in Paris. Of the many things that he said in that speech, one passage has stood out over the years, a famous passage talking about critics. Roosevelt was a strong leader and had a goodly number of critics. His thoughts are not an academic exercise but come from his experience in American politics:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them 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 valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who 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 neither know victory nor defeat.

Critics are generally not in the arena. They are not fighting in the game. They are by-standers who think that they can do a better job.

ARE YOU A DOER OR A CRITIC?

I tend to be self critical, but positive and supportive of my loved ones. I find it helps to avoid people who have that critical mind set that you describe.

This reminds me that, there are even critics on these forums, they make it so obvious. Anything you say or do will never be good enough for them, as they are over-selfish with their thoughts. I know who to avoid. I hardly bother saying anything back to them because I'd rather not waste my words on negative prudes. There will always be one's you will never be able to please. Why bother giving a second thought about what they think? They just look down their nose at almost everyone.

I'm both.

In reality, almost everyone is both.

Wow, trolls on an internet forum. You don't say.

I totally agree!

I like asking people who know how to do everything better for a demonstration, which either teaches me something or shuts them up pretty quick. Either way I win!

Better yet, find two, introduce them to each other and watch the hilarity ensue.

I would have to say I am both.

It's probably not smart to be surrounded by "yes people" all the time. (People who always agree with us and tell us that we're "right.")...How can we grow or expand our horizons if we're never exposed to new ideas? Or never challenged?...I think it boils down to the way people "differ" with us.. Or the way we handle "differences" when they come up. Don't you?

Sorry? I don't remember doing anything to offend you. Don't take your bad day out on me. Sheesh.

Action is character.