--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you receive criticism from…" description: "\"When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it pays to ask, ‘Are they right?’ And if they are, you need to adapt what they’re doing. If they’r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/jeff-bezos-1193_conviction_when-you-receive-criticism-from-well-mea_1000696.jpg" --- # When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it… ![“When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it pays to ask, ‘Are they right?’ And if they are, you need to adapt what they’re doing. If they’re not right, if you really have conviction that they’re not right, you need to have that long-term willingness to be misunderstood. It’s a key part…” quote by Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/jeff-bezos-1193_conviction_when-you-receive-criticism-from-well-mea_1000696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/jeff-bezos-1193_conviction_when-you-receive-criticism-from-well-mea_1000696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/093/jeff-bezos-1193_conviction_when-you-receive-criticism-from-well-mea_1000696.jpg) > “When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it pays to ask, ‘Are they right?’ And if they are, you need to adapt what they’re doing. If they’re not right, if you really have conviction that they’re not right, you need to have that long-term willingness to be misunderstood. It’s a key part of invention.” [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism should be examined; accept it when correct, but stay true to convictions when not, even if misunderstood. **In simple terms:** Ask if criticism is right; adapt or stay firm. Key Takeaway Balance openness with conviction. Themes innovation feedback conviction Mood analytical determined Type business leadership When to use this quote - product development - team leadership - strategic planning - personal growth Key Concepts critical thinking resilience Questions to Reflect On - When should you follow criticism? - How do you stay confident when misunderstood? A Different Perspective Being misunderstood can hinder collaboration if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Misunderstood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misunderstood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Willingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willingness/) ## Related quotes > [Invention requires a long-term willingness to be misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/invention-requires-a-long-term-willingness-to-be-misunderstood/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [A footballer must be prepared to be welcomed when all is well and to receive criticism when things are not working out. Of course,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/a-footballer-must-be-prepared-to-be-welcomed-when-all-is-well-and-to/) [Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/) > [“There's several reasons why it make sense to begin building a culture of radical candor by asking people to criticize you. First, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-malone-scott/there-s-several-reasons-why-it-make-sense-to-begin-building-a-culture/) [Kim Malone Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-malone-scott/) > [When you receive criticism, you should take it in your side, but I've received love more than anything else, and that's what motivates me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mawra-hocane/when-you-receive-criticism-you-should-take-it-in-your-side-but-i-ve/) [Mawra Hocane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mawra-hocane/) > [Many receive a criticism and think it is fine; think they got their money's worth; think well of the teacher for it, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/many-receive-a-criticism-and-think-it-is-fine-think-they-got-their/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Being a player for Manchester United, when you don't win, it's fair to receive criticism because at the end of the day, it's part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-onana/being-a-player-for-manchester-united-when-you-don-t-win-it-s-fair-to/) [Andre Onana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-onana/) > [“If you develop self-criticism, it won't be that much harder to receive the criticism of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/if-you-develop-self-criticism-it-won-t-be-that-much-harder-to-receive/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) > [Jogi Low and Pep Guardiola both know exactly how to deal with me. To receive criticism from big coaches even delights me a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-sane/jogi-low-and-pep-guardiola-both-know-exactly-how-to-deal-with-me-to/) [Leroy Sane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-sane/) > [Well, I have considered myself to be very fortunate in that I have been able to do mostly only that which my inner self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/well-i-have-considered-myself-to-be-very-fortunate-in-that-i-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [If you are going to do large-scale invention, you have to be willing to do three things: You must be willing to fail; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-are-going-to-do-large-scale-invention-you-have-to-be-willing/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you have to ask yourself if you're in the right relationship...you probably aren't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa/if-you-have-to-ask-yourself-if-you-re-in-the-right-relationship-you/) [Lisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa/) > [I ask one thing: I ask the right to hope and suffer as I do now." Vronsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-i-ask-the-right-to-hope-and-suffer-as-i-do-now-vronsky/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [One of the fastest ways to find the solution to an issue or challenge you are facing is to ask the right questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/one-of-the-fastest-ways-to-find-the-solution-to-an-issue-or-challenge/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [To ask the 'right' question is far more important than to receive the answer. The solution of a problem lies in the understanding of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-ask-the-right-question-is-far-more-important-than-to-receive-the/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Don't ask whether it is right or wrong. Instead try to find out what is going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/don-t-ask-whether-it-is-right-or-wrong-instead-try-to-find-out-what/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) ## More by Jeff Bezos > [I think technology advanced faster than anticipated. In that whirlwind, a lot of companies didn't survive. The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The death knell for any enterprise is to glorify the past -- no matter how good it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-death-knell-for-any-enterprise-is-to-glorify-the-past-no-matter/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [People who are right most of the time are people who change their minds often](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/people-who-are-right-most-of-the-time-are-people-who-change-their/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The human brain is an incredible pattern-matching machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/the-human-brain-is-an-incredible-pattern-matching-machine/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Work hard, have fun and make history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/work-hard-have-fun-and-make-history/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-tolerate-critics-don-t-do-anything-new-or-interesting/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you can't feed a team with two pizzas, it's too large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-feed-a-team-with-two-pizzas-it-s-too-large/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you build a great product or service, people will talk about it. But it starts with having something that's worth talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-build-a-great-product-or-service-people-will-talk-about-it-but/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I think the definition of a book is changing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-the-definition-of-a-book-is-changing/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you're truly obsessed over customers, it'll cover a lot of errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-re-truly-obsessed-over-customers-it-ll-cover-a-lot-of-errors/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [One of the things that I'm very excited about with New Shepard, which is our suborbital tourism vehicle, is using that to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/one-of-the-things-that-i-m-very-excited-about-with-new-shepard-which/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I wouldn't be surprised if history records Tim Berners-Lee as the second Gutenberg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-wouldn-t-be-surprised-if-history-records-tim-berners-lee-as-the/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Maintain a firm grasp of the obvious at all times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/maintain-a-firm-grasp-of-the-obvious-at-all-times/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Explore all 275 Jeff Bezos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## More Conviction quotes > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I've been around in public life for a long time. I think people know what I stand for. They know that I have strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-ve-been-around-in-public-life-for-a-long-time-i-think-people-know/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [“Desert are you, deluge are you, in a crowd of fakes, only truth is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/desert-are-you-deluge-are-you-in-a-crowd-of-fakes-only-truth-is-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/for-a-successful-revolution-it-is-not-enough-that-there-is-discontent/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > ['Peace on earth, good will toward men' - democracy must cling to that message. For it is my deep conviction that democracy cannot live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/peace-on-earth-good-will-toward-men-democracy-must-cling-to-that/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [ Beneath everything else, North and West, there ran a profound, unvoiced, almost subconscious conviction that the \[American\] nation was going to go on growing-in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/beneath-everything-else-north-and-west-there-ran-a-profound-unvoiced/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [When you fight to give your family bread, that's not passion anymore: that's conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoel-romero/when-you-fight-to-give-your-family-bread-that-s-not-passion-anymore/) [Yoel Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoel-romero/) > [If you know the differences between an oak and a poplar, a spruce and a pine, down to the needles... you are able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-allen-lawson/if-you-know-the-differences-between-an-oak-and-a-poplar-a-spruce-and/) [T. Allen Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-allen-lawson/) > [We need the conviction to be able to think for ourselves and to take action outof our own sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/we-need-the-conviction-to-be-able-to-think-for-ourselves-and-to-take/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [The law of England has established trial by judge and jury in the conviction that it is the mode best calculated to ascertain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/the-law-of-england-has-established-trial-by-judge-and-jury-in-the/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [If you are going to flip something, you must have the courage of your convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/if-you-are-going-to-flip-something-you-must-have-the-courage-of-your/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [We embark unhesitatingly on the path, in a direction that is absolutely right and urgent, supported by everyone, in the knowledge that this path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehudi-menuhin/we-embark-unhesitatingly-on-the-path-in-a-direction-that-is/) [Yehudi Menuhin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehudi-menuhin/) [Browse all 2,157 Conviction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you receive criticism from well-meaning people, it pays to ask, ‘Are they right?’ And if they are, you need to adapt what they’re doing. 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