Being harsh with others is essentially harming yourself. The frustration you feel when thinking about someone you don’t like and the rising feelings of jealousy or resentment will negatively affect your own mood. These negative emotions won't just attack both parties but will eventually consume you, draining your energy.

The most effective way to deal with someone you dislike is by maintaining these three attitudes:

1.   Let it go in one ear and out the other, don’t care

I’ve noticed that many people tend to care too much or even get particularly angry about what others say. This is equivalent to punishing yourself for someone else’s mistake.

Getting angry at someone’s words will only lead you to internal conflict. The other person is merely allowing you to mess up your own situation without paying any price. Isn’t that putting you at a disadvantage?

When facing someone you dislike, don’t get angry immediately. Instead, adopt the attitude of "Let it go in one ear and out the other, don’t care." When you stop caring about the actions of others, they won't be able to use aggressive tactics to provoke you. Only then can you gain the upper hand; otherwise, you’ll just be manipulated by them.

2.   Either don’t do it, or do it all the way

You must always remember: if you choose not to act, that’s fine, but if you do, you must follow through to the end, otherwise, the one who suffers will be you.

3.   Improve yourself, live better

Have you ever asked yourself why someone dares to attack you? The root cause is that they believe they are better than you, that they have enough ability and resources to surpass you.

When faced with attacks, if you overreact, there are two possible outcomes. Either they become fearful and stop, or they continue to provoke you. In this situation, try applying the "tiger effect"—a concept from Economics.

The "tiger effect" refers to a psychological state in which people can surpass others by stimulating their self-control and inner motivation when facing challenges. This is the process of using external pressure to drive personal growth and self-improvement.

In reality, among all the ways to retaliate, self-improvement is the best and most effective method. Let the attacks and disdain from others become the motivation that propels you forward. Don’t waste your time arguing with negative people; instead, use that time to read, exercise, and develop yourself.