Inner and Outer Critic

Because one critic isn’t enough, we’ve got two: an inner and an outer critic.

The inner critic plays on your doubt, insecurity, and negative self-talk. The outer critic plays on your external fears, such as physical or resource limitations. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to only have one critic speaking to you at once. Other times you have two critics coming at you at the same time. That’s especially fun. It’s like both the angel and the devil on your shoulders started whispering doubts into your ears.

You may need to hear out both critics to see what they have to say. The trick is to then silence them once they’ve presented their arguments. Both inner and outer critics present valid concerns at times. Your inner critic may tell you that you do not have the technical knowledge to use a power saw to create a handmade kitchen cabinet. The outer critic may tell you that you do not have enough money in your bank account to buy a brand-new top-of-the-line voice microphone for podcasting.

Both critics can at times present valuable and accurate information that can cause you to think about the logistics of carrying out your ideas. That’s not a bad thing and can save you from getting into something you’re not (currently) set up to do. But when those critics start to attack your character or dissuade you from pursuing the idea at all (even after properly preparing), that’s when it’s time to silence them.

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Find me on LinkedIn: Kyle Bernier, MAATC | LinkedIn or on Instagram: @Kyle_Bernier