This post is a sneak peek into my course – 30 Day Redesign.
Taming your inner critic can make a big difference to the chances of your achieving your goals.
That little voice may’ve come into existence because you had critical parents or a teacher that was never pleased with what you did or a boss whose idea of management was to constantly point out the areas that you could improve on. Doubt can creep in and you start to wonder if you really are the way that those people saw you. You begin to repeat other people’s criticisms when you don’t achieve the goals that you set for yourself.
In order to tame your inner critic you can use these 3 steps:
Step 1 – Catch it out
You need to recognise when your inner critic is up to its old tricks so that you can catch it out. You may have heard it telling you that:
“You’ll never lose that much weight. You don’t have the willpower.”
“Who do you think you are to set up your own business/write a book/look great/get fit? You don’t have what it takes.”
“You can’t run 10km. It’s too far for you, you’ll never make it.”
Recognising its voice means that you can begin to separate out reality from what that nagging voice is telling you.
Step 2 – Take back control
Once you have recognised that these insistent thoughts aren’t actually reality, and are your inner critic’s voice, then you are able to take control and remember that you have a choice as to whether you continue to listen to or not.
You can choose what to focus on in your life. If you only focus on the negative parts of your life that your inner critic keeps reminding you about, then it can be difficult for you to see the positives in your world.
Be aware that you probably can’t change that little voice over night. This is a gradual process that I know from experience gets easier over time.
Step 3 – Change your inner critic’s role
Now we need to deal directly with your inner critic. There is no one right way to do this so it’s important that you find a way that works the best for you.
Laughter – I’ve found that simply laughing at how foolish my inner critic is being can be a great solution. I’ll point out all the achievements that I have created through my hard work and how foolish some of its criticisms are. If you don’t take its voice too seriously then its ability to damage you will be limited.
A firm word – You may find that giving your inner critic a stern talking works for you. “How can you not see all the brilliant achievements that I have completed so far?” Reminding yourself of the proof of your achievements is a good way to change your focus.
Softly, softly – Perhaps a more gentle approach may work for you. Remind your inner critic that its original role of protecting you from harm was a helpful one but that it’s no longer useful. Now you need a strong supporter who is there to encourage you achieve your goals.
Your inner critic’s role can be changed to be your greatest supporter who reminds you to take care of yourself. Remember it is always up to you how much weight you give to that voice.
What does your inner critic typically say to you? How can you respond to your inner critic in the future?
If you’d like to join The 30 Day Redesign course you can register here>>>>. The course will provide you with practical resources to create a tailor made plan that integrates the goals you want to achieve, the values you live your life by and the roles that make up your life. You’ll also learn to recognise what might be holding you back from achieving your goals.
Registration closes on Saturday 4 April.
