NME - Top 150 from 1996 to 2011 said:
No.57 - 'Lose Yourself' was Eminem at the absolute peak of his powers. Written to support 8 Mile, the film that told the story of his life, the track laid bare his early struggles over a brooding guitar sample and built to a huge, swooping chorus line. He might have sold more records since, but this was when no rapper on the planet could touch him.

Pitchfork.com said:
If this list reflected the number of "no-one-watching, in-the-mirror, punch-the-air self-psyching"-moments a song produced and not the whims of a group of music critics, this song would be such a runaway number one Vegas would've stopped taking bets six months ago. It'll be quicker, so let's do it this way: raise your hand if you haven't pumped yourself up for a workout, date, hockey game, or hipster-ogling with "Lose Yourself"? Yeah, pretty much the same number that predicted Em's most lasting moment would be an almost too-serious soundtrack jig about the perils of a character named (presumably) after a John Updike protagonist. --Andrew Gaerig

StylusMagazine.com said:
Slim Shady's a bit self-absorbed; a brief survey of his singles proves it. But just when we were starting to think that he'd never stray from his favourite subject, along comes "Lose Yourself." Okay, so in many ways it's even more focused on himself than any of his other singles to date. But rather than rapping about his usual exploits, he's giving us a rags-to-riches narrative; five minutes of inspirational encouragement that Dr. Phil would envy. Sure, Eminem's marriage of flow and beat here are as strong as ever, but it's that story of overcoming the odds that draws us to "Lose Yourself"—I think even Lynne Cheney loves this song. [Luke Adams]