The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment.

Taking criticism is not hard when it is gentle and deserved. The real test comes when it is clumsy, partly unfair or delivered by someone you dislike, and the instinct is to file a grudge alongside the point. Resentment feels like self-respect, but it mostly guarantees you will not hear the part that was true, and it keeps the critic living in your head.

None of this means accepting cruelty as feedback. Separate the content from the delivery, and ask what you would do with the content if a friend had said it kindly. Then decide what deserves to change, and let the sting fade on its own schedule.