Picture this moment we’ve all had…
You just finished a big client presentation.
The energy in the room was great. People were nodding. You’re feeling proud.
Then someone leans in and says,
“Hey… you’ve got toilet paper stuck to your shoe.”
Your smile drops.
And suddenly, you don’t feel so confident anymore.
You start judging the person who told you.
You think about how they’re always late.
How their own work isn’t perfect.
And for days, you stay annoyed—not about the paper, but about them pointing it out.
Sounds silly, right?
Of course you’d want to know.
You’d fix it, maybe laugh, and move on.
But when someone points out something more personal?
That’s when it gets hard.
“You talk over people.”
“Your follow-through isn’t great.”
“You seem disconnected in meetings.”
And just like that, your brain kicks in:
Who are they to say that?
They don’t know what I’m dealing with.
Look who’s talking.
I’ve done it too.
Getting defensive instead of listening.
Focusing on who said it instead of what they said.
And here’s what I’ve learned:
When feedback feels personal, it can trigger something deeper.
It touches the part of us that worries we’re not good enough.
So we push it away.
But that reaction is what keeps us stuck.
It holds us back from growing.
From getting promoted.
From seeing the things everyone else already sees.
Here’s what helped me:
1️⃣ Pause. Don’t react right away.
2️⃣ Ask: “Is there a bit of truth in this?”
3️⃣ Write it down. Look at it again tomorrow with fresh eyes.
You don’t have to agree with every piece of feedback.
But if you never take a moment to really hear it,
you might miss the one thing that could help you move forward.
No comment yet, add your voice below!