How to handle constructive criticism

  Many of us are faced with constructive criticism and we aren’t sure how to take it. Truth be told, it is not easy to take, it feels as though people are attacking you. It makes it even harder to accept when you have poured your heart and soul into something and feel that you have done your best only to have it torn apart by someone.
  
  So, you take it personal and feel as though it is an attack on you. Understand that this is NOT a personal attack on you. The other person does not hate you. You have to realize that if this is a first attempt then there will be issues. It is a ‘first draft’, it won’t be perfect, no matter how much you have poured into it. You have to improve it and make a ‘second draft’
  
  Realize that if they are pointing out what seems to be inconsequential things, that is because the basics are covered and they are not seeing mistakes in that area. Yes, this may seem like they are nitpicking. They nitpick because they like it and want to help improve it not because its bad. They see they value in what you have done but can also see the weak spots which if corrected, would put you over the edge, this is what they point out.
  
  Change your view. Separate yourself from your project, you are not the only one involved and you are not creating this solely for yourself, if you were, you wouldn’t have shown it to anyone seeking their feedback. Quit looking at such a narrow viewpoint. Try to see what the other person is seeing and how they are looking at things. This can help you to view it differently, Use it to see the big picture.

  Once you begin to look at your project from a different viewpoint, it will improve very quickly and become much better than it was before. You will look back and wonder how you could’ve of put such crap as you did on your first attempt.
  
  

So how do you handle constructive criticism?