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• Constructive feedback prevents complacency . Feedback that isn ’ t personal and points you towards improvement moves you to act . In this way , constructive criticism can motivate and nip complacency in the bud . The most successful and innovative companies never rest on their laurels but are constantly asking how they can do things better . That ’ s because they don ’ t rest on prior achievement to validate their worth .
• The reverse , then , is also true : excessive praise weakens motivation . Excessive compliments take away from our original motivation of simply enjoying an activity because the dopamine shot I previously referred to is quite compelling . Our impressionable egos begin to pursue an activity purely for the sake of praise . Enough time spent receiving this praise means we become enslaved to it . And soon , without the expectation of praise , our motivation can begin to dwindle .
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