Wikibooks:Staying cool when the editing gets hot

This page is a Wikibooks essay, not an official policy or guideline. Essays in the project namespace represent significant viewpoints, and anyone can participate in improving them. An essay in userspace need only represent that user's stance on the topic.

When an idea, suggestion or thought is offered to a group and is criticized, changed, or adapted, it's human to feel personally attacked. It hurts--sometimes a lot.

Try to remember, it is the idea or concept which is being criticized, not you personally. Once an idea is offered here, it no longer belongs to you. It belongs to the group to do whatever develops from the discussion. Chances are, you have not, nor shall you ever meet the other participants, yet, through this process, every participant has the opportunity to make meaningful contributions.

Realizing the idea or concept no longer belongs to you, once offered, makes it easier to divorce yourself from the idea and helps you understand the group's criticism or changes have nothing to do with your worth as a human.