QotD: Criticism

[liveonearth]

I didn't always understand this. When I was a young physician, I didn't realize that criticism was a good sign. Now I see that it means people know you care about them and are willing to change. If no one criticizes you, you can take that as a sign that you are perfect, which is unlikely, or that people feel you don't care enough to listen and are not willing to change. No one criticizes a stubborn mule. It doesn't help or change them.
--Bernie Siegel
p88 in Prescriptions for Living
*new tag: perfection