09 Mar Why self critique is critical to success
YouSeeU Intern
Let’s start by stating the obvious: nobody’s perfect. Why is this important to remember? When you look at someone who has achieved success it’s easy to assume they’re perfect, or close to it. It’s quite the contrary. That said, one way to ensure success is to self-critique every step of the way. This takes energy away from worrying about the end goal, and focuses it on improving along the way. There are plenty of opportunities to practice the art of self-critiquing in higher education. Here’s why students should do so:
Always Improving:
For success in a class, and later on in a career, self-critiquing can be a useful tool for developing skills and refining the ones students already have. Constant self-criticism serves as a reminder to work hard on what needs improving. For example, a grade could rely heavily on class participation, but a student might be shy. Upon realizing this setback, he or she can establish small goals that encourage speaking up in class — or set goals to participate in class in other ways, like providing feedback on other students’ Video Assignments online. This kind of self critique helps students continuously improve both personally and academically.
Self-Awareness:
Self-criticism fosters self-awareness. Being just as mindful of one’s weaknesses as one’s strengths will give a realistic perspective when trying to reach a goal. If a student is aware of limitations, he or she can work around them. For example, a student might be known to get flustered when there’s a time crunch. Instead of procrastinating, self-awareness will motivate them to allocate enough time to complete the assignment before it’s due.
It’s important to note that self-critiquing with no intention of self-improving is counterproductive in achieving success. There’s no value in self-criticism if an individual doesn’t try to learn something from it. Higher education provides experiences that allow you to learn from your mistakes in life-like scenarios with low risk outcomes.
Without recognizing flaws, students and instructors alike are bound to repeat the same unproductive behavior, hindering personal growth. In the words of Albert Einstein, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”