10 Top Tips to Unplug from your Inner Critic

Have you ever been kept awake at night by your doubts, worries and regrets going round and round in your head? This is your innner critic at work – it’s his job to worry!

Your inner critic is a manifestation of old fears, doubts and beliefs, including other people’s programming. His little voice wants you to play it safe, not to take any risks and to stay right where you are – in his comfort zone.

You’re not alone – even the greatest athletes and successful business people have their own inner critics to deal with. What they’ve discovered is the ability to unplug and switch channels to their inner champion.

10 top tips to unplug from your inner critic:

1. Be Aware.

Listen to your inner dialogue, be aware of who’s talking.  If your inner critic is in the spotlight for too long, bring your inner champion onto centre stage instead.

2. Reassurance helps.

Your inner critic’s job is to keep you safe, but he’s so scared of what might happen – all the time.  He needs  reassurance, so let him know you’ve done a safety-check and all is well to proceed.

3. Take small steps first.

Simple, take small steps first and build from there.

4. Feedback, not failure.

When learning, things won’t always go as expected – look at any mistake as feedback, not failure and celebrate progress.

5. Listen, accept and then keep going.

Your inner critic’s fears can too easily become your limits.

6.  Re-focus on positive evidence.

When your inner critic starts up, take a stand and re-focus.  Make a list of 50 reasons why you will succeed, including your strengths, skills and qualities that have already helped you to this point.

7. Switch to your inner champion.

Write down 3 highlights/successes at the end of the day.  Memory plays a huge part in your mental attitude. By writing 3 successes down you are literally re-wiring your brain.  Switch to your inner champion and build confidence and self-belief by focusing on positive, helpful memories.

8. Learn from others and be inspired.

Be inspired by stories of how people have overcome seemingly insurmountable difficulties, challenges and setbacks. Visit www.ted.com for some amazing talks.

9.  Just Do It!

Aim high, be bold and even though the little voice squeaks in terror, Just Do It.

10. Don’t believe everything you think.

What worries you will master you unless you challenge your thinking patterns and beliefs.  Ask, is this really true?

And if you  liked this post you might like to also read Who’s Winning the Battle of Two Wolves?

What are your best tactics to avoid being derailed by your inner critic?  Is he really the enemy people make him out to be?  What do you think?  Leave your comments and share your insights.

Why is self-leadership even more essential right now? In the past organisations, society and the economy thrived to a large degree on conformity.  With radical shifts in cultural/societal attitudes and expectations, the world economy, climate change and with the breakdown of  regimes that don’t support their people, now is the time for the individual’s uniqueness to come to the fore. (See below for 10 top tips).… ... continue reading

Once upon a time, I used to teach English and Drama to 11-18 year olds in a large inner-city comprehensive.  Even after a rigorous year’s training for my Post Grad Cert in Education, I still felt like I had been thrown in the deep end. What has really stayed with me are some wonderful memories and invaluable lessons which have stood me in good stead since then:

1. Inject

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of Ikea,  the world’s largest furniture brand, said that ‘Only those who are asleep make no mistakes’.  Top performers know the value of their mistakes and often view their mistakes in a particular way, so that they can take the positives from the failures.  They are somehow able to bounce back from so-called ‘mistakes’ because they take the long-term view.  They also understand that rather than… ... continue reading

What does courage mean to you?  Does it suggest people performing heroic acts and demonstrating bravery in times of great adversity?  I’d like to suggest to you that small acts of courage are made every day. It takes courage to be your best, to try, try and try again, to change direction, to be honest with yourself – and others – and it can also sometimes take courage to ask… ... continue reading

The art of listening often refers to what it means to listen and truly hear and understand what someone is communicating – and not just focusing on the content.  Active or global listening, as it’s called, is the highest level of listening.  It includes ‘reading’ the body language signs of the person, the tone of voice being used, picking up on how someone is really feeling and being able to… ... continue reading

In 1990 I broke both my heel bones during a ‘bush walk’ in Western Australia – and boy, did that hurt!  The first orthopaedic consultant said I wouldn’t be able to walk properly again – ever.  This was quite a blow to me as I’d always loved being active, riding horses, playing tennis, running and enjoying the outdoors’ lifestyle.

Naively, I didn’t really believe the surgeon’s prognosis and went… ... continue reading

How often are you seduced by the idea that an ‘instant fix’ exists for your challenges at work and life’s problems? It’s during times of significant upheaval, change and crisis that you can lose sense of the bigger picture, feel despondent and spiral downwards.

How you think and what you believe from the outset will largely determine your future progress and success. However, it can take time to put ... continue reading

The cost of constant busy-ness to our ability to perform effectively at work, as well as to our health and happiness has been well documented. We instinctively know that we’re paying the price every day, but all too often we think we’re powerless to stop the go, go, go lifestyle and mindset. Is that really the case?

Surely, it’s not a question of how much time we have or… ... continue reading

When you’re feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, drained or just plain fed up, there are numerous ways to feel more relaxed, energised and clear-headed. Experiment with some of the energy boosting strategies below and use what works best for you:

1. Spend 15 minutes walking briskly in the fresh air. Notice your surroundings: be aware of the different sounds you hear, from the birdsong, traffic and the sound of your ... continue reading