How should I respond to the criticism that 'my project has no future'?

Man, this question is so real. Honestly, it's impossible not to feel a pang in your heart when you hear something like that. It hurts when something you've worked so hard on is dismissed with a single sentence.

You need to look at this situation by situation, like a detective:

First, who said it?

• Potential users/customers? Then you need to quickly pull up a stool and sit next to them, respectfully asking: "Sir/Madam, where do you think this lacks potential? Is it a feature you don't need, or do you feel my solution doesn't solve your problem?" This feedback might contain gold for your product's iteration. When they say "no future," it might translate to "your product doesn't meet my needs yet."
• Relatives/friends? They are most likely acting out of concern, worried you won't make a living or that you're wasting your time. Their "no future" translates to "I don't see stable income from this, and I'm worried about you." Listen, appreciate their concern, and then carry on with what you're doing. They are not your users, so their opinions have little value at the product level.
• Industry bigwigs/investors? You need to take their words with a grain of salt. On one hand, they might have seen pitfalls you haven't, based on their experience, such as a market that's too small or difficulty in monetization. On the other hand, even bigwigs can be wrong; their understanding and resources might not align with your project. Their "no future" translates to "this doesn't fit my investment logic / I don't understand it."
• Strangers online? Just ignore them. They might just be in a bad mood today, or they're habitual trolls. It's not worth wasting a second of emotion on their words.

Second, and most crucial: How do you see it?

Others' evaluations are an "external scoreboard," but you need an "internal scoreboard" in your heart.

• Why did you start this project in the first place? Did you truly find a problem that excited you and felt absolutely necessary to solve? This initial intention is your driving force.
• Have you found even one real user who, after using your product, told you with shining eyes: "Hey, this thing is great!"? If you have just one, your project has a future. Your future grows from these seeds.
• Are you continuously learning and improving? Are you, today, understanding this project and this industry a little deeper than you did a month ago? If so, then you are on the path to having a "future."

So, how do you "withstand" it?

1. Treat criticism as free consulting. Absorb what's valuable, discard what's not. Thank everyone who gives you feedback, then filter out the useful information to improve your product. Mentally, you should be like, "Say whatever you want; if it's useful to me, I win."
2. Don't bear it alone. Find a startup group or some friends who are also hustling. You'll find that being told "no future" is standard for entrepreneurs, as normal as three meals a day. Vent to each other, cheer each other on, and you'll realize you're not fighting alone.
3. Focus on "small victories." Solving a technical challenge today, finding a new user this week, increasing user retention by 5% this month... these are all tangible "small victories." String them together, and they become your source of confidence and the best proof that your project has a future.

Finally, whether a project has a future is not ultimately "said" by others, but "made" by you and "validated" by the market. Which great companies weren't told they had "no future" in their early stages?

So, don't ask yourself if you can "withstand" it; ask yourself if you still "believe." If you still believe, then treat others' words as a gust of wind, let it blow past. Just keep your head down and walk your path steadily, and a future will naturally emerge.