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One of the most important tasks in life is self-correction. We enter this world not merely to exist, achieve, or accumulate experiences, but to gradually discover and correct our inner shortcomings. Yet this is far more difficult than it sounds. Most of us can easily see the faults of others, but recognizing our own flaws requires tremendous effort.
To discover even a single genuine deficiency in ourselves, we often have to go through countless disappointments, mistakes, and hardships. People spend years learning lessons the hard way. They run into obstacles, suffer failures, make poor decisions, and sometimes completely derail their lives before finally understanding something about themselves that was hidden all along.
This is why a person who can honestly point out our shortcomings might be doing us an enormous favor. Such a person can save us years of suffering. If we are able to hear what they say, feel the truth in it, and become aware of something within ourselves that needs correction, then we have gained something invaluable.
The difficulty is that our ego reacts differently. Instead of feeling gratitude, it is the nature of the ego to feel hurt, offended, or humiliated. We then view the critic as an enemy. We think, “They insulted me. They exposed my weakness. They made me look bad.” But humiliation and correction are not necessarily the same. We can recognize a flaw within ourselves and still appreciate the one who revealed it.
In many cases, the one who constantly praises us could actually be causing more harm than good. Praise can lull us into complacency. It can prevent us from examining ourselves honestly. Sometimes people encourage us not because they want our growth, but because it is easier, more convenient, or even beneficial for them that we remain unchanged.
This is why criticism, when it is sincere and directed at growth, can be far more valuable than praise. The person who points out a weakness might actually be closer to our true development than the person who only tells us what we want to hear.
Of course, this does not mean that every criticism is correct or that every critic has pure intentions. The real challenge is learning to listen. Instead of immediately defending ourselves, we can ask whether there something here that we need to see: “Is there a truth about myself that I have been avoiding?”
If we develop such an attitude, then we begin to view criticism differently. Instead of seeing it as an attack, we see it as an opportunity. Every remark, complaint, and difficult interaction becomes a chance to learn something about ourselves.
Based on KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” on April 28, 2026. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.