If we trust the source of the criticism, we're more likely to take it well. Most of the time, what we're up against isn't someone else's opinion but our own, reactive defensiveness. Slowing down that reaction and hearing before feeling can make us better at processing criticism.
Goals are good. Systems are better. There, I said it. Why? Because without a system, goals are just wishes and fantasies. You can't just want a thing, you have to make a plan to achieve that thing. On the other hand, a system without a goal still leads to growth and progress.