--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you find yourself criticizing other…" description: "\"“If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/553/steven-pressfield-696_quote_if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-p_1757128.jpg" --- # If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're… ![“If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own.” quote by Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/553/steven-pressfield-696_quote_if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-p_1757128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/553/steven-pressfield-696_quote_if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-p_1757128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/553/steven-pressfield-696_quote_if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-p_1757128.jpg) > ““If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own.”” [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing others often masks our own resistance to authentic living. **In simple terms:** Blaming others hides our own fear of being true. Key Takeaway Examine personal resistance before judging. Themes self-awareness authenticity resistance Mood introspective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - team dynamics - creative work Key Concepts projection self-deception growth Questions to Reflect On - What resistance are you avoiding? - How can you support others' authenticity? A Different Perspective Self‑critique can also be constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authentic Selves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic-selves-608025/) [Criticizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticizing/) [Criticizing People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticizing-people-1311854/) [Live Authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-authentic-1658524/) [Selves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selves/) ## Related quotes > [When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves, it drives us crazy if we have not lived out our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-we-see-others-beginning-to-live-their-authentic-selves-it-drives/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“There are those who see film and take it seriously as an artistic medium, and others who go to have a good time, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/there-are-those-who-see-film-and-take-it-seriously-as-an-artistic/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [Don't be too severe in criticizing people's faults; consider how much they can bear. Don't be too lofty in enjoining virtue, so people may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/don-t-be-too-severe-in-criticizing-people-s-faults-consider-how-much/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [I'm not tough when it comes to people criticizing the people that I protect, and those are the actors. It makes them scared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-daniels/i-m-not-tough-when-it-comes-to-people-criticizing-the-people-that-i/) [Lee Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-daniels/) > [We on the Left are very good at criticizing people, but we need to build the base to pull people to the Left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramila-jayapal/we-on-the-left-are-very-good-at-criticizing-people-but-we-need-to/) [Pramila Jayapal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramila-jayapal/) > [If you live criticizing people, you won't have time to love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/if-you-live-criticizing-people-you-won-t-have-time-to-love-them/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Bad Religion has never been about criticizing people who are Christian. But we've always been about pointing out the irony and contradictions in Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/bad-religion-has-never-been-about-criticizing-people-who-are/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [“If you spend time judging and criticizing people, you will not have time to heal from your pain or brokenness. You cannot love yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-sogunle/if-you-spend-time-judging-and-criticizing-people-you-will-not-have/) [Kemi Sogunle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-sogunle/) > [“If you find yourself criticizing other people, your probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-people-your-probably-doing-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Publicly criticizing people, even when I don't have the facts, is not that good of an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/publicly-criticizing-people-even-when-i-don-t-have-the-facts-is-not/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [“Perhaps the heart of our melancholy is that we miss the woman we were meant to be. We miss our authentic selves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/perhaps-the-heart-of-our-melancholy-is-that-we-miss-the-woman-we-were/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [In the end, everyone just deserves the right to be their authentic selves, just be who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/in-the-end-everyone-just-deserves-the-right-to-be-their-authentic/) [Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/) > [“Life is not a test administered by ourselves or a higher authority, and we’re not in form to learn lessons. We’re here to thrive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/life-is-not-a-test-administered-by-ourselves-or-a-higher-authority/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [We can only belong when we offer our most authentic selves and when we're embraced for who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-can-only-belong-when-we-offer-our-most-authentic-selves-and-when/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My early self-portraits appeared effortlessly and seemed like equivalents for my deeper emotions. Many critics remarked that the images had an almost other-worldly haunting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-tenneson/my-early-self-portraits-appeared-effortlessly-and-seemed-like/) [Joyce Tenneson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-tenneson/) ## More by Steven Pressfield > [Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/most-of-us-have-two-lives-the-life-we-live-and-the-unlived-life/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“The artist and the fundamentalist both confront the same issue, the mystery of their existence as individuals. Each asks the same questions: Who am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-and-the-fundamentalist-both-confront-the-same-issue-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The professional arms himself with patience, not only to give the stars time to align in his career, but to keep himself from flaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-professional-arms-himself-with-patience-not-only-to-give-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [To labor in the arts for any reason other than love is prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/to-labor-in-the-arts-for-any-reason-other-than-love-is-prostitution/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“that of dealing death, of loosing another man’s soul and sending it down to hell. You want to savor it, to twist the blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/that-of-dealing-death-of-loosing-another-man-s-soul-and-sending-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-is-experienced-as-fear-the-degree-of-fear-equates-to-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us... Ideas come. Insights accrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-we-sit-down-each-day-and-do-our-work-power-concentrates-around/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Anything that draws attention to ourselves through pain-free or artificial means is a manifestation of Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/anything-that-draws-attention-to-ourselves-through-pain-free-or/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Gnostics believed that exile was the essential condition of man. Do you agree? I do. The artist and the addict both wrestle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-gnostics-believed-that-exile-was-the-essential-condition-of-man/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life's star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/our-birth-is-but-a-sleep-and-a-forgetting-the-soul-that-rises-with-us/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [You are a writer when you tell yourself you are. No one else's opinion matters. Screw them. You are when you say you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/you-are-a-writer-when-you-tell-yourself-you-are-no-one-else-s-opinion/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance outwits the amateur with the oldest trick in the book: It uses his own enthusiasm against him. Resistance gets us to plunge into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-outwits-the-amateur-with-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“I don't need to read nothing,' said the New Zealander. 'I was there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/i-don-t-need-to-read-nothing-said-the-new-zealander-i-was-there/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) [Explore all 404 Steven Pressfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## More Criticizing quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I feel that the task of criticizing my poetry is best left to others (i.e. critics) and would much rather have it take place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-feel-that-the-task-of-criticizing-my-poetry-is-best-left-to-others/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Our present time is indeed a criticizing and critical time, hovering between the wish, and the inability to believe. Our complaints are like arrows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-temple/our-present-time-is-indeed-a-criticizing-and-critical-time-hovering/) [William Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-temple/) > [Wishes people would look at their own lives before criticizing mine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wishes-people-would-look-at-their-own-lives-before-criticizing-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've often been accused of spending more time and energy criticizing my fellow Democrats than criticizing Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-kaus/i-ve-often-been-accused-of-spending-more-time-and-energy-criticizing/) [Mickey Kaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-kaus/) > [“There are those who see film and take it seriously as an artistic medium, and others who go to have a good time, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/there-are-those-who-see-film-and-take-it-seriously-as-an-artistic/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [“You can't do extraordinary things in the world if your spending time criticizing others because they don't look of behave the way you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-philips/you-can-t-do-extraordinary-things-in-the-world-if-your-spending-time/) [Susan Elizabeth Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-philips/) > [Never criticize someone you never personally knew. For in time, you might find yourself to be in a much worse situation than the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-ramirez/never-criticize-someone-you-never-personally-knew-for-in-time-you/) [Jazz Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-ramirez/) > [The world could be a lot better if people correct their own mistakes rather than criticizing others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-world-could-be-a-lot-better-if-people-correct-their-own-mistakes/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Spend more time uplifting instead of criticizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-langella/spend-more-time-uplifting-instead-of-criticizing/) [Jason Langella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-langella/) > [Criticizing reporters is like boo-ing at the Special Olympics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/criticizing-reporters-is-like-boo-ing-at-the-special-olympics/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“If you find yourself criticizing other people, your probably doing it out of Resistance. When we see others beginning to live their authentic selves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-find-yourself-criticizing-other-people-your-probably-doing-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you spend time judging and criticizing people, you will not have time to heal from your pain or brokenness. You cannot love yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemi-sogunle/if-you-spend-time-judging-and-criticizing-people-you-will-not-have/) [Kemi Sogunle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemi-sogunle/) > [There's a certain missing feeling, a void out there that I'm more than happy to fill. Without criticizing what's out there now, I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-debarge/there-s-a-certain-missing-feeling-a-void-out-there-that-i-m-more-than/) [El DeBarge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-debarge/) > [“Criticizing anyone is tantamount to criticizing their worship or devotion (aradhana). It is a grave mistake. It is fine if you cannot support someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/criticizing-anyone-is-tantamount-to-criticizing-their-worship-or/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 168 Criticizing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticizing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you find yourself criticizing other people, you're probably doing it out of Resistance. 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