--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm my hardest critic because I know what…" description: "\"I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I strive to be as perfect as I can be even though I know it's not possible.\" — Collin Sexton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg" --- # I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I… ![“I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I strive to be as perfect as I can be even though I know it's not possible.” quote by Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg) > “I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I strive to be as perfect as I can be even though I know it's not possible.” [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques himself harshly, striving for impossible perfection, highlighting self‑imposed pressure. **In simple terms:** Self‑criticism drives high standards. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection, set realistic goals. Themes self‑criticism perfectionism motivation Mood introspective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - performance improvement - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What limits does self‑criticism set? - How to balance ambition and self‑compassion? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I'm always my hardest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-volkanovski/i-m-always-my-hardest-critic/) [Alexander Volkanovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-volkanovski/) > [“I'm my best and harshest critic. I know what's good and what isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-m-my-best-and-harshest-critic-i-know-what-s-good-and-what-isn-t/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [To strive to be perfect is going down the road of self-destruction. To strive to be yourself is going down the road of greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/to-strive-to-be-perfect-is-going-down-the-road-of-self-destruction-to/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [“When you come up a bit short on excellence, you still win. When you strive for perfect, you’re just never quite good enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-gluskin/when-you-come-up-a-bit-short-on-excellence-you-still-win-when-you/) [Dawn Gluskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-gluskin/) > [I'm a harsh critic, you know? I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/i-m-a-harsh-critic-you-know-i-am/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [I know that I am my worst critic. I know that if I can walk away from the set at the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmy-rossum/i-know-that-i-am-my-worst-critic-i-know-that-if-i-can-walk-away-from/) [Emmy Rossum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmy-rossum/) > [I think I'm my hardest critic. Sometimes it's kind of bad because I'm so hard on myself and sometimes I get down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-clarkson/i-think-i-m-my-hardest-critic-sometimes-it-s-kind-of-bad-because-i-m/) [Jordan Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-clarkson/) > [I will always be my hardest critic. Nobody else will ever be able to come at something I do harder than I come at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-adeyemi/i-will-always-be-my-hardest-critic-nobody-else-will-ever-be-able-to/) [Tomi Adeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-adeyemi/) > [I'm my hardest critic, I expect the best of myself, I'm a perfectionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/i-m-my-hardest-critic-i-expect-the-best-of-myself-i-m-a-perfectionist/) [Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/) > [If you strive to be perfect in everything, whether it's possible or not, you will always live a more fulfilled life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behdad-sami/if-you-strive-to-be-perfect-in-everything-whether-it-s-possible-or/) [Behdad Sami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behdad-sami/) > [“Being perfect is a state of mind. As long as you strive to be perfect, you will never achieve it. But once you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cooze/being-perfect-is-a-state-of-mind-as-long-as-you-strive-to-be-perfect/) [Sandra Cooze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cooze/) > [“Why do you strive to be perfect when you're so beautifully flawed?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitali-meelan/why-do-you-strive-to-be-perfect-when-you-re-so-beautifully-flawed/) [Mitali Meelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitali-meelan/) > [Don't strive to be perfect. Strive for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-principal/don-t-strive-to-be-perfect-strive-for-excellence/) [Victoria Principal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-principal/) > [I strive to perfect but in reality nothing is perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-strive-to-perfect-but-in-reality-nothing-is-perfect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you strive toward the perfect run, accepting that you will always come up short of that is very intriguing. It makes me think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-shiffrin/if-you-strive-toward-the-perfect-run-accepting-that-you-will-always/) [Mikaela Shiffrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-shiffrin/) ## More by Collin Sexton > [When I'm out there I know I can score the ball like whenever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/when-i-m-out-there-i-know-i-can-score-the-ball-like-whenever/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [It might not be your day that day, but just stay positive and things will get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/it-might-not-be-your-day-that-day-but-just-stay-positive-and-things/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I love Kobe Bryant, was a Lakers fan for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-love-kobe-bryant-was-a-lakers-fan-for-sure/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I can score the ball a little bit. But sometimes I put myself in a bind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-can-score-the-ball-a-little-bit-but-sometimes-i-put-myself-in-a-bind/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I'm more like a team person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-m-more-like-a-team-person/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [Chris Paul is a guy I can talk to about different stuff, especially when I played on his team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/chris-paul-is-a-guy-i-can-talk-to-about-different-stuff-especially/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I know what I can do and I know I can pass the ball. I know I can be a true point guard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-know-what-i-can-do-and-i-know-i-can-pass-the-ball-i-know-i-can-be-a/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [Just the energy when I was sitting and watching the game, like the seats were shaking, fans were screaming. Just, I feel like I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/just-the-energy-when-i-was-sitting-and-watching-the-game-like-the/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I just had to get in front of the right people to show my talents off and do what I do best. That's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-just-had-to-get-in-front-of-the-right-people-to-show-my-talents-off/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I just try to do my best each and every game. I feel like I've gotten better in every aspect. Just have to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-just-try-to-do-my-best-each-and-every-game-i-feel-like-i-ve-gotten/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [Since I was growing up, I was always the younger one playing with older guys. They called me Young Bull and that just stuck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/since-i-was-growing-up-i-was-always-the-younger-one-playing-with/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [At first you see a lot of people say 'Oh he's good, but he can't shoot' or 'Oh he's good, but can his shot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/at-first-you-see-a-lot-of-people-say-oh-he-s-good-but-he-can-t-shoot/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I am in Cleveland, I do wear No. 2, and I do wear Kyrie's. That's gonna be linked together. I just got to take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-am-in-cleveland-i-do-wear-no-2-and-i-do-wear-kyrie-s-that-s-gonna/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [Everyone wants to make the Olympics. Everyone wants to pretty much just play on the team or at least try out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/everyone-wants-to-make-the-olympics-everyone-wants-to-pretty-much/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) > [I love adding fuel to my fire and trying to prove I can play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-love-adding-fuel-to-my-fire-and-trying-to-prove-i-can-play/) [Collin Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) [Explore all 63 Collin Sexton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/) ## More Critic quotes > [I am absolutely my own biggest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lando-norris/i-am-absolutely-my-own-biggest-critic/) [Lando Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lando-norris/) > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. (Indeed, a critic is a bundle of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste.) But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-balliett/critics-are-biased-and-so-are-readers-indeed-a-critic-is-a-bundle-of/) Whitney Balliett > [I am my biggest critic. Even in films where people said they liked me, I have disliked myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-akkineni/i-am-my-biggest-critic-even-in-films-where-people-said-they-liked-me/) [Samantha Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-akkineni/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [If I weren't an actor, I'd either be a teacher or a critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/if-i-weren-t-an-actor-i-d-either-be-a-teacher-or-a-critic/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I remember the early 1980s, when I first got one of these fabulous film critic jobs. The downside was sitting through 'Splatteria III: The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hunter/i-remember-the-early-1980s-when-i-first-got-one-of-these-fabulous/) [Stephen Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hunter/) > [The television critic, whatever his pretensions, does not labour in the same vineyard as those he criticizes; his grapes are all sour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-raphael/the-television-critic-whatever-his-pretensions-does-not-labour-in-the/) [Frederic Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-raphael/) > [To be a critic, you have to have maybe three percent education, five percent intelligence, two percent style, and 90 percent gall and egomania…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-crist/to-be-a-critic-you-have-to-have-maybe-three-percent-education-five/) [Judith Crist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-crist/) > [The critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/the-critic-is-the-only-independent-source-of-information-the-rest-is/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [The critic is a man who prefers the indolence of opinion to the trials of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason-brown/the-critic-is-a-man-who-prefers-the-indolence-of-opinion-to-the/) [John Mason Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason-brown/) > [“A good judge is not one who is impartial, but one who has prejudice for good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/a-good-judge-is-not-one-who-is-impartial-but-one-who-has-prejudice/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [A critic who uses new quotations is making important changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/a-critic-who-uses-new-quotations-is-making-important-changes/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [My mother and my grandmother are pioneers of Mexican cuisine in this country, so I grew up in the kitchen. My mom, Zarela Martinez,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-sanchez/my-mother-and-my-grandmother-are-pioneers-of-mexican-cuisine-in-this/) [Aaron Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-sanchez/) Browse all 758 Critic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I strive to be as perfect as I can be even though I know it's not possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Collin Sexton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-what-i-can-do-and-i-strive-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Critic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-what-i-can-do-and-i-strive-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/collin-sexton-10734_critic_i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-wha_2721611.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm my hardest critic because I know what I can do and I strive to be as perfect as I can be even though I…” — Collin Sexton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Collin Sexton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collin-sexton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm my hardest critic because I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-what-i-can-do-and-i-strive-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collin-sexton/i-m-my-hardest-critic-because-i-know-what-i-can-do-and-i-strive-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```