Inner Critic

Our inner critic is that persistent voice we hear in our heads. The one that tells us to not try that new thing, to stay comfortably where we are and continue to do what we have always done.

It can be harsh at times. Telling us how big our goals are and how unlikely we are to achieve them.

It can be loud. Reminding us of all the other times we have failed and how this time will be no different.

It can be mean. Telling us we aren’t as special as we think and that our ideas aren’t that great.

It can tell us we are wrong. How we don’t even know what we want so how can we get it.

When our inner critic is the loudest, we can be overwhelmed. It can paralyze us into confusion, anger, frustration and most importantly, inaction. That is the intent of our inner critic, to keep us where we are, inside our comfort zone. Our brains primary purpose is to keep us physically safe. We may have big goals and dreams that live outside comfort zone but there is risk there and most likely where we are is physically safe. We can stay where we are, this job, this place where we live, with these people and we can feed ourselves, keep ourselves warm and fed. This makes our primitive brain happy.

Sometimes all we want is for that voice to shut up and leave us alone! I invite you to consider that maybe you don’t because maybe that inner critic is also pointing out that there is something that you want to be doing, something you have been thinking about for a while. If you weren’t thinking about taking action, the critic wouldn’t be there. Maybe the voice is your call to action?

If we want to really change; change our lives for the better, we need to sometimes take the inner critic along for the ride with us. We need to act. We need to walk, to run, to lift the weights. We need to type like I am now and all along the voice may continue to nag at us, saying, “you won’t get this done, this is garbage, stop this nonsense, no one wants to read this crap”. Yet, as the words continue to flow, there are results on the page and slowly, the critic must admit that you are getting it done and you did not die! That you can take this action and it will not affect your physical safety. That if it does suck and no one reads it, you will still have practiced your art and by practicing your art, you will improve. This will make your critic pause. That is the great secret to success…consistent action and it is the thing that our inner critic is trying to keep us from doing. Action requires energy and effort and can put us in harm’s way. It can also lead us to get stronger, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What action will you take today? Comment below.

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