Praise & The Dangers of Accepting It

“The only way to escape the corruptible effect of praise is to go on working.”

Albert Einstein

Praise; it’s that external rattling that helps sustain our internal selves. It’s the validation we as human beings so desperately seek for our efforts (whether we choose to admit it or not). Praise is that tingly feeling of light that illuminates your insides with joy.

And albeit mostly satisfying, it can have major drawbacks on its target. It’s pretty much a two-edged sword for the mind, spirit, and soul. It’s one of those outlets where you’ve got to be careful how long you remain plugged into it.

Fortunately for us, today we will be looking at 3 adverse effects of absorbing too much praise. But before we do so…

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Now, on with the show!

#1. Praise Breeds Contentment

This is arguably the most commonly negative effect when it comes to praise. Before you had people gassing you up to a full tank, you were nearly on E doing your best to make it to your next destination. You were challenging yourself to go that extra mile, even with the uncertainty of making it there in one piece.

You were venturing outside of your comfort zone, allowing growth and reserved inner-strength to be the driving forces of your success. And when you finally arrived at your desired location, your efforts were acknowledged and it made you feel fulfilled. But for how long?

You see, when we’re being praised for our well-doings of the past, it’s important for us not to rest too long on that feeling. If we do, there’s an awfully great chance that it will make us stagnant. We’ll start to get this feeling that there’s nothing more to prove to ourselves, nothing greater to accomplish.

Hence, we stop placing ourselves in uncomfortable situations to foster growth; we stop taking risks and start settling for the ghosts of past accolades and achievements. We look to the present with contempt proclaiming “Well, I’ve done it all”, when it reality you haven’t.

There’s always still so much for us to do, especially when we’re in our youthful prime. So don’t compromise your ambition for the sake of a couple of congratulations. There’s way more to you than your past feats. Yes, take in the moments of praise when they come, but do keep in mind the next destination on your road map of success.

#2. Praise Strips Away Your Humility

Gone are the days of syrup sandwiches and crumb allowances, am I right? (See what I did there? Kendrick Lamar? ‘HUMBLE’?…No? Okay.) Anyway, I personally believe that humility is one of the greatest assets to mankind. It facilitates room for honest introspection, giving us a clear perception on where we are now and how much further we have to go.

On the other hand, when excess praise enters the picture our sense of meekness can be placed on the back-burner. We tend to allow all the kind words to stream into our ego and flood its insides. And overtime, this can transport us from a constant state of self-awareness and self-actualization to a perennial state of arrogance and self-praise.

And once we’ve bordered past this point, we begin to overlook those involved with our success, the ones that played an integral role in making it all happen. We also begin to forget the kind, approachable, and respectful individual we once were. We begin to lose touch with our sense of humanity.

Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being receptive of praise and using it as a self-confidence booster. Not at all. Nevertheless, you must know where to mentally draw the line and keep tabs of your humility. It’s what helps regulates our true sense of self and for the most part, maintains our likability.

Remember, there was a time of struggle before your success, so be humble!

#3. Praise Limits Your Imagination

Out of all the adverse effects we’ve discussed so far, this is personally the worst of them all. And I think anybody who’s a creative would also agree. As creatives, we tend to yearn for attention and praise for our art (whether we’d want to admit it or not). And there’s nothing wrong with chasing after that feeling.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to hear that your book was an excellent read, that your painting was a captivating piece, or that your acting or musical abilities are of star quality. However, I will say that I think praise shouldn’t be the sole source of motivation for what we do as creatives. I strongly believe genuine happiness should be paramount.

Nonetheless, when praise becomes the center of our creative world, we tend to rest upon what was and limit our imaginations to what can be. We become reluctant to the idea of incorporating new elements because of how well the old ones worked for us in the past.

Additionally, our creativity suffers as we begin to overlook intricate details, thus deteriorating the brilliance of our work. Don’t you see? By getting sucked into the vortex of praise, we aren’t allowing ourselves to be stripped down to our base and rebuilt by new influences and muses; we aren’t allowing ourselves to evolve!

And if you can’t evolve, your “new” creations become nothing more than carbon copies of your former self. So, as you allow your mind to digest praise, remember to walk away from it all with the need to find some art. You’re certainly more than a one-trick pony!

**Final Thoughts**

Undoubtedly Insighters, praise comes and goes throughout our lifetime – sometimes consistently, other times sparsely. Notwithstanding, it rests upon us as the custodians our own personal well-being to take it all in with grace and moderation.

Because as we’ve discussed today, it can be used as a motivational springboard, launching us into our next success, or a stumbling block that hinders meaningful growth.

So as you continue navigating throughout your life, chasing down your wildest ambitions, remember that there’s another destination waiting for you. Remember how many doors your sense of humility opened for you in the past. And remember that your imagination is your lifeline and is mandatory for your evolution.

As always, take care of yourselves. Put your health and needs first. And continue to be your best, unapologetic self. Love you guys!

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