Why Does Criticism Make You Stronger?

Why Does Criticism Make You Successful?

The #1 smartest thing Speed Reading teaches us is the power of Keep-It-Simple-Stupid. No insult intended – but we are all ignorant (dirt-stupid) about one-million
vital causes-and-effects. We call it Knowledge-Challenged or Information-Overload.

Did you know 92% of email readers (not just you and me) instantly delete the
message when it becomes complex and incomprehensible for longer than 10
seconds? It is consumer research made in 2009.

The secret to successful communication person-to-person, and business-
to-business is Over-Simplifying. Homo sapiens instinctively believe - if they do not
Get-Your-Meaning-Instantly, it is your fault so Goodbye and forget about you.

To prove the power of this principle, watch Oprah, Dr Phil, and your favorite
newscaster. Notice how they start with a headline that summarizes the story.
Next they give supporting details, and summarize the key points a second time.

Finally they come to the end of the report, and what do they do? Summarizing the
key points – a third-time. Why? Repetition is the Mother of Memory, and Keep-It-
Simple is the legitimate Father of learning and knowledge. Secret? Over-simpifying!

How To Avoid Criticism

The smartest quotes I ever read by a regular guy were by Elbert Hubbard (1856-
1915) reporter, and successful magazine publisher. See if you agree.

a) “To avoid criticism in your life – Do nothing, Say nothing, Be nothing.”

b) “Never explain your motives. Your friends do not need it, and your
enemies will not believe you anyway.” (It is OK to Smile.)

c) “Genius has its known limits, but stupidity is Infinite.”

d) “Deep down – he is really shallow.”

e) “Religious folks believe in the Rapture. I believe in my Rupture.
Both change your life.”

He died with his wife next to him when a German submarine sank the Lusitania in 1915. A total of 1,198 folks drowned, and was a main cause of World War 1. The British cruise ship left NYC for Liverpool, and sank off the coast of Ireland.

Death Puts Things in Prospective

Do you agree Inquiring Minds must have certain numbers in their Mind’s Eye to look and stay smart? Like what?

On September 2, 2009, the world contains 6.781 billion Homo sapiens. The U.S.
has 307,293,001 (million) folks. Who counted them? The United Nations and U.S.
Census Bureau.

Next, each and every day, 150,000 earthlings die, so if you are leaving – it will be crowded, and pack light. Stop worrying about murder and accidents, 90% of us cash-in of old-age in industrialized countries like the U.S. and U.K.

The U.S. ranks 50th in longevity, Japan is top dog at 81. U.S. men average 78.3 years, while women hit age 80.4. The oldest proven life was a Frenchwoman, Jeanne Calment. She lived to age 122 + 164 days, and cashed in 1997. Born 1875.

She attributed her longevity to her parental genes, alcohol, and eating tons of chocolate.

Education, Learning & Longevity

Did you know - the only statistically proven factor in producing longevity is
education and learning? Why? Learning triggers brain structures for pleasure
and pain-avoidance like Mu Opioid Receptors, Nucleus Accumbens, and VTA
(Ventral Tegmental Area).

Learning lubricates our PreFrontal Cortex, the key factor for planning, logic,
reasoning, memory, and knowledge.

That the best we can do with present knowledge.

Google: City University of New York research by Michael Grossman;
New England Journal of Medicine 2003, longevity and education.
Springer & Grady – Toronto 2005 study.

Animals

Asian elephants average 86 years, Tortoises (Galapagos) up to 190 years,
Bowhead Whales average 200 years. About trees – Methuselah Grove at Inyo
National Forest, California verifies up to 3,000- year old trees. The biblical
Methuselah only claims 969 years.

Criticism is Feedback

Is there line drawn between Criticism and Feedback?

If you live in a First-World country and are normal, you cringe and despair over
both Criticism and Feedback, no matter how tenderly given. Some psychologists
claim Criticism is judgmental and accusatory, involves name-calling and moralizing.

It consists of making the Critic the teacher and source of ultimate truth,
and the one being criticized – a poor soul devoid of sense and knowledge. If we are thin-skinned, being criticized makes us cry-like-a-little-baby.

One certainty about criticism – the receiver will deny its truth, but will never, never,
forget it, and eternally hate the critic. So if you need enemies – offer constructive criticism.

Feedback

Those who see a difference between Criticism and Feedback claim, Feedback opens the door to a discussion of the Benefits-of-Change. Never seen it happen.
How?
Ask the perpetrator that deserves Criticism a/k/a Freedback – What could you have done better? How would you improve your performance? How would you advise a
stranger to improve their presentation?

Ask – If you were in charge – the manager, boss, or coach – how would you offer
criticism that does not leave permanent scars? Try this: “Could you list three (3)
bonehead errors, and a suggestion to fix them?”

Get it? Never make it personal – if you wish to avoid horrible consequences.

Japan v U.S. Culture on Criticism

Leading International Japanese companies teach their executives, down to the
worker on the assembly-line, to search their minds daily for tiny, small, incremental
changes to make things better. It is called Kaizen. It is a ritual, and each salaryman
must submit suggestions to improve his area of the operation – daily.

Does it work? Ask Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. They require it.

Key point: Saving Face is not Japanese; it is American, British, and universal.
Self-Importance is like heartbeats, however, self-improvement (personal growth)
and improving the organization in the minds of Japanese, is more important.

Google: Kaizen – small improvements.

Endwords: Would you like a competitive difference leading to promotions and financial wealth, longevity and accelerated healing? Speed Reading is your secret tool to success.

Would it help if you could read-and-remember three (3) books, articles and reports in the time your peers can hardly finish one? Two million graduates 3x their text reading, and 2x their long-term memory. Ask us how.

See ya,

copyright © 2009 H. Bernard Wechsler
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------