Do you know what self-criticism is and why it is important for our mental health? Self-criticism is significant to improve our abilities and grow as human beings. However, many people make mistakes when it comes to self-criticism, as they focus on their failures and lose sight of their skills and abilities. Obviously, this can be a barrier to self-esteem and mental balance.
A good self-criticism is not simply about reminding ourselves of the mistakes we make, but also about identifying all the things that we are doing well to get rid of the beliefs that prevent us from moving forward and focus on our own capabilities. In this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about what is self-criticism and how to do it. In this way, you will have a tool to objectively measure your progress and that will help you overcome your possible mistakes.
Index
- what is self-criticism
- Importance of self-criticism
- Types of self-criticism
- How to do a good self-criticism
What is self-criticism?
Self-criticism is a technique that consists of analyzing our actions, skills and ways of behaving. In other words, it is an individual evaluation that is made up of judgment, opinion, and appraisal of actions and performance. According to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy[1], self-criticism is evaluative judgment we have about our own actions.
Self-criticism is not only about reviewing behavior, but also about evaluating personal performance in the different areas of our lives to see what we can improve or enhance. Therefore, we can be self-critical with our appearance, emotions, intellectual performance, behavior and even with our own personality.
Causes of self-criticism
The origin of self-criticism depends on each individual context. Next, we will mention some of the possible causes of self-criticism:
- Parents too demanding.
- Masters and bosses who push too hard.
- Study or work colleagues who press and demand.
- Participate in sports or activities that are highly competitive.
In addition, self-criticism can be the product of a lot of pressure in the face of different daily challenges, such as raising the academic level, finding a partner or having to do everything perfectly. Now one well-managed self-criticism is beneficial to enhance some personal aspects. The problem arises when it becomes highly toxic and becomes a limitation to advance in life.
Importance of self-criticism.
Well-managed self-criticism is essential to identify your strengths, weaknesses and personal successes. On the one hand, it is essential to evaluate how to face difficulties assertively. In other words, it allows you to value your true potential to unlock those obstacles that separate you from success.
On the other hand, constructive self-criticism helps eliminate unhealthy habits and strengthen self-awareness for personal growth and development. In this article you will discover what is conscious living and how to practice it.
Types of self-criticism.
As for types of self-criticism, there are constructive and destructive. Let's see the characteristics of each of them below.
constructive self-criticism
Constructive self-criticism is a strategy that serves to see what we can change in our life and thus improve as people. In other words, it is an analytical judgment that helps build new paths to reach a better solution.
It is a fact that those who use constructive self-criticism, considered as positive, have a good self-esteem, since they can manage their own mistakes to learn from them, without feeling guilty.
An example of constructive self-criticism is when we set ourselves the goal of obtaining a good grade in an academic evaluation, but the results we obtained were not the best. So, from the internal dialogue, we try to analyze where we failed to apply new strategies. That way, we'll work to get better grades next time.
destructive self-criticism
This type of self-criticism is focused strictly on mistakes, so they are often a source of blockage and mental restlessness. It is usual for those who criticize themselves in a negative way to have a very low self-esteem, because internally they treat themselves in a severe and sometimes cruel way.
According to the Thompson and Zuroff scale of levels, destructive self-criticism can be classified as follows:
- Comparative destructive self-criticism: makes you always compare yourself with others and never believe that you are good enough for something.
- Internalized destructive self-criticism: you get stuck in the belief that you will never be up to the challenges, which is why you almost always end up abandoning the goals set.
Let's look at some examples of destructive self-criticism below:
- I don't think he is a qualified person for that task.
- No matter how hard I study, I never pass.
- I am not someone with creativity, better not even speak.
- I don't know how to plan myself, it's better not to stay on this team because I'm not good at it.
In short, people who are very self-critical have a hard time making good decisions, because they are constantly upset with their actions, ideas and attitudes. In this article, we show you how to make hard decisions in life. In addition, it is almost impossible for them to ask for help by fear of being labeled weak or clumsy. In addition, they avoid taking risks and taking on new challenges.
How to do a good self-criticism.
The keys to learning how to do a good self-criticism are the following:
- pay attention to your thoughts: learn to identify how you treat yourself and correct your internal dialogue for a positive and more understanding pattern.
- Set feasible goals: If you have some goals in mind, you will be able to evaluate the quality of your steps and actions. Of course, do not set very ambitious goals, since you can fall into frustration. It is better to take small but safe steps.
- Do not criticize yourself in the most difficult moments: take a breath, try to calm down and then, more calmly, evaluate all your alternatives.
- Let go of perfectionism and accept that all humans make mistakes. Discover what is perfectionism in psychology and how to overcome it.
- Be grateful for every situation that comes your way: In this way, you will not see problems as mistakes or failures, but as great opportunities for learning.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is self-criticism and how to do it, we recommend that you enter our category of Personal growth and self-help.
References
- Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy. Self-criticism concept. https://dle.rae.es/autocr%C3%ADtico
Bibliography
- De Rosa, L and others (2012). Perfectionism and Self-Criticism: Clinical Considerations. Argentine journal of psychological clinic XXI. p.p. 209–215. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/2819/281929021003.pdf
- K. Naragon-Gainey, D. Watson, in Encyclopedia of Human Behavior (Second Edition), 2012.
- Yamaguchi A. and Kim, M. (2013). Effects of self-criticism and its relationship with depression in all cultures. International Journal of Psychological Studies, 5(1), 1-10.
