Mario Alonso Puig, coaching expert: “Criticism can have a devastating impact on a person without self-esteem”
In ‘Conversations with Mario Alonso Puig’, the doctor dissects the true nature of self-esteem and its connection to life's purpose.
Having a conversation with Mario Alonso Puig must feel like placing a magic mirror around the mind, one that translates and interprets everything. Although he is a specialist in general and digestive surgery, the doctor is widely known for his work as a communicator and coaching expert. Behind his glasses is someone who sees the world differently. He knows it, and perhaps this is the source of his carefully developed literary and audiovisual work.
This last point matters: being aware of one’s own strengths and abilities. Some call it self-esteem. In an episode of the series Conversations with Mario Alonso Puig, the expert explored this concept, highlighting its true nature and how to strengthen it. In other words, he explained the importance of recognising one’s intrinsic value, how to overcome criticism and personal challenges with resilience, and the connection between self-esteem and life purpose.
The discussion revolved around a single question: “Why do criticisms affect us so much?” he asked. He then offered a two-pronged answer, noting that when it comes to the mind, there are no simple explanations. “When a person has high self-esteem, when they truly trust themselves and their abilities, even if they hear criticism, it is difficult for it to bring them down because they have that inner strength,” he explained.
The negative version of this scenario leads directly to the answer. “When a person has not built that self-esteem, they look for it in others. ‘Tell me how much I am worth; am I worth anything or not?’ At that moment, criticism has a devastating impact because we already have doubt,” he said. He added that “we are very sensitive to anything that increases that doubt” and that, ultimately, “criticism will increase that doubt above all”.
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In the comments section, there are more than a thousand messages, most of them thanking the doctor for the clarity with which he explains such a complex and intangible issue, as well as for the practical advice he offers on how to overcome it. “This man sheds light with his knowledge,” wrote one commenter, while also praising Puig’s unique way of seeing the world.
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