What a man thinks of himself, that is which indicates his fate. However, no one escapes criticism entirely. And often our careers, emotional stability depends on how we react to it.
There are two kinds of criticism: the gentle, constructive variety which we don't get much of and the blunt, harsh and hostile kind which am referring to in this article.
If you are a sensitive person you can not just brush criticism aside and or pretend it's not there.You have to face it on three levels: the emotional, the rational and the practical.
Controlling your emotional reaction is the hardest. But if you keep reacting with resentment and anger it makes you more vulnerable and you will only be poisoning yourself. The best thing you can do is forcing yourself to be dispassionate.
The second step is to be rational, take up criticism and examine it objectively. Ask yourself honestly if there is any truth in the criticism if you are forced into the conclusion that whatever the critic is saying is the truth, the best thing to do is admit it. This in itself will silence him.
Another rational approach is to examine the qualifications of your critic. Is he reputable and sincere? If not then dignified silence is often the best reply to slander.
Is anything on the practical level that you can do in dealing with criticism?Yes, you can try to help your critic. Constant critics are often unhappy people trying to cover up their own inadequacies by pointing out the failings of other people. What you can do is to understand what causes it and to remove the cause for the other person's sake as well as for your own.
In the last analysis, your best defense is your own day-to-day conduct. It is keeping your moral standards high and having a clear conscience.