Do not seek praise. Seek criticism

It is quite easy to get an approval if we ask enough people, or if we ask those who are likely to tell us what we want to hear.

So if you have done an acceptable piece of work, you will have proved to yourself that it's good simply because others have said so.

Probably OK, but probably not great either.

If you, instead of seeking approval, ask what is wrong, how you can make it better, you are more likely to get a truthful critical answer.

You may even get an idea, how to improve.

Still you are in a position to reject the criticism, if you think it's wrong.

Can you find fault with this?