Silencing the Inner Critic

There is this inner voice that loves to mock us for our dreams. This inner critic that will tell us everything we say, do or even think is wrong. This voice loves to make us doubt our every action and every desire we hold dear.

This voice is wrong and yet we can’t help but listen. Often without even knowing it, we follow the small voice inside our heads that tells us we aren’t enough.

According to Psychologist, Marisa Peer, the majority of our issues stems from this belief that we are not enough. And our inner critic loves to remind us of that.

Some of us can trace the voice back to our parents or a childhood teacher or some other figure from when we were young. Even if our parents or these other figures were truly loving, sometimes that inner critic steals their voice to use for its own purposes. Some would call this the “ego.” It’s the part of us that doesn’t want us to reach our highest potential. Maybe that voice is there as a defense mechanism so we won’t get hurt. Maybe that voice is there to help us succeed.

But either way, that voice doesn’t serve our greatest good. It will undermine our progress towards our goals if we don’t stop it.

If you’re like me, you’ve had to ignore that voice more than once. You’ve had to tell it to shut the “F” up so you can move forward. It can be exhausting and scary to know that the devil isn’t out there. It’s right in our own minds trying to keep us from being who we are meant to be.

So how do we stop it for good? There isn’t a way to kill the voice in our head, but there is a way to challenge the negative thoughts. Byron Katie who created “The Work” has one of the best methods I’ve come across.

It’s basically asking yourself if the thoughts or stories you are saying about what is happening or what you want to happen is “true.” Can you absolutely know that what you are thinking about the future, or another person, or a situation is true? Or is it really just your own story you have concocted in your head?

If you want to be a great in any area of your life- as a leader, a parent, etc.- you need to stop letting that inner critic take control of you. It’s imperative you stop the negative voices inside your head and instead begin to learn what’s true. From there, you can take inspired action to make better choices which will ultimately lead to the life you want.

But along the path of learning to quiet that critic, please be gentle with yourself. Don’t beat yourself up for not being able to control the negative thoughts about yourself or others that come into your mind. As soon as you can, become aware of what you are thinking and employ the “Work” or some other practice to stop the madness of your mind.

May your life be infused with your unique spirit!