3 Secrets For Silencing Your Inner Critic

Written By:

Written By:

Secrets for Silencing Your Inner Critic 1

Taming the demon inside you can be undoubtedly challenging, especially when your inner critic is constantly eating away your self-confidence. These critical voices have implications for our feelings, emotions, and motivations. The ones that never stop reminding you that you’re not enough. But now it’s time to silence them all.




“I’m no good at this.” “I’ll never be able to raise that kind of money.” “This will never work.” “I’m a failure.” Is this what your inner demons tell you? Here are easy tips for silencing your inner critic.

In my work teaching, training, and speaking with hundreds of professionals each year, I have learned that one of the most challenging parts of people’s jobs doesn’t really have to do with their job at all. It’s everybody’s own internal critic in their head that they can never get away from. And I actually find that it plagues some of the most high-achieving, high-potential people I know.



That internal critic in their minds just doesn’t give them a break. It’s like my grandfather — God bless his soul — who, when you told him you got an A in a class in high school, would say in a half-joking, half-serious manner: “What, they don’t give out A+’s?!” You’d laugh, but at the same time feel deflated.

Read 4 Kinds Of Self-Criticism You Must Put An End To

Now imagine that voice internalized in your mind, where it’s you berating yourself for not achieving an A+ in everything you do, and you’ve got the situation so many high achieving professionals are in. You’re battling an inner critic that you just can’t get away from. So what can you do about this? How can you combat this critic?




What I’ve found, from reflecting on my own experience, as well as the experiences of others, there is an antidote to this self-defeating style of thinking and it essentially comes down to these three elements:

Here are The 3 Secrets To Silence Your Inner Critic

1. Let your rational self take the wheel.

If you let your emotions take control of your thoughts, you’re done! For example, let’s say you just started a new company, which is struggling, and your best friend from high school has a start-up on the fast track to success, raising money from top investors and poised for a massive payday.

Your emotional self will tell you that you’re a failure . . . that you aren’t good at anything. . . that your company will never succeed . . . and that you’re a nothing compared to your friend.

But if you let your rational self take charge, you might tell yourself a different story. Yes, you might feel hopeless and anxious, but you might also tell yourself that your friend has already started two other companies and has a big head start.

You might also tell yourself that there are some early signs that your company may be onto something and that even if this company doesn’t work out, you’re developing valuable skills and connections that will put you in a good position for the future.

This way of silencing your inner critic works, because you’re not lying to yourself — you’re just inserting a bit of perspective into a situation that your emotions have painted as far bleaker than the reality.




2. Remember your best self.

Yes, things might not be ideal now, but is that always the case? When we are in the doldrums, we tend to overgeneralize. However, think about the full range of experiences you’ve had.

This particular start-up might feel like it’s failing, but was that true last week or the month before? And are you really a failure? Have you had other successes in your life?

Fixating on the negative is like generalizing yearly weather from one rainy day. Yes, it’s raining — even pouring today — but that wasn’t necessarily the case in the past and it won’t necessarily be the case in the future.

Read 12 Tips To Self-Love And Compassion

3. Treat yourself like you’d treat your best friend.

If your best friend came to you depressed about their failures when you knew there really was a more even-handed picture, would you commiserate, or would you help that person see the broader picture?

Would you agree with their assessment or perhaps offer a more rational alternative? If so, why do we treat ourselves worse than we treat our friends? Try to take that perspective about yourself, and I’ll bet that it will help create clarity in an otherwise challenging situation.

In the end, you have the power to shape your view of yourself and the world. So, use these tips to stand up to that critical voice and create a brighter future.




What other things do you do for silencing your inner critic?


Written By: Andy Molinsky
Originally Appeared On:
Thrive Global
secrets silencing your inner critic pin
Secrets for Silencing Your Inner Critic pin
Secrets for Silencing Your Inner Critic expin


— Share —

Published On:

Last updated on:

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

What Is Healthy Shame And The 3 Powerful Ways It Helps Us Grow

What Is Healthy Shame And Powerful Ways It Helps Us Grow

When someone begins to heal from their codependency and trauma, they are bound to feel moments of shame. Whether that’s about past behavior or past experiences, most people will view shame negatively. However, there is a dysfunctional shame, which impedes progress, and healthy shame, which helps us.

So today, I am going to be talking about how shame can be beneficial.

Shame can help us move forward for three simple reasons:

1. It clarifies our morals and values.

2. It helps us make amends.

3. It spurs us into action.

It is essential to understand the differences between healthy and dysfunctional shame to move forward feeling empo

Up Next

6 Thinking Styles For Becoming Unstoppable (And Stress-Free!)

Helpful Thinking Styles For Becoming Unstoppable

The way we think influences how we feel, how we handle challenges, and ultimately, how we live our life. Some unhelpful thinking styles create stress, while others help us stay grounded and change our life.

Your thinking style is a powerful tool, it shapes how you process information, make decisions, and solve problems. Since our thoughts shape our reality, adopting the right mindset can be life-changing.

Take a look at six helpful thinking styles that can help you transform into a rel

Up Next

Philosophy as Self-Supervision: Reflecting on Psychological Practice

Philosophy As Self Supervision Important Key Points

How often do you pause and reflect on your own practice? Self supervision isn’t just a tool, it’s a philosophical approach for insight and growth. So let’s explore more!

How philosophical inquiry enhances self-awareness, reflection, and growth.

Key points

Philosophical reflection can be a tool for self-supervision.

Wonder and uncertainty can shape professional growth.

Philosophical inquiry can be integrated into everyday practice.

Up Next

Metacognition: The Key to Better Decision-Making

Metacognition: 3 Keys To Better Decision-Making

Have you ever wondered how you think? Metacognition helps you analyze your thoughts, improving decision-making. Let’s learn more about it!

Navigating above our ordinary thinking by using our rational thinking.

Key points

Metacognition is our thinking about our thinking.

It can help us make better decisions and navigate more easily through life.

Metacognition is the conscious process of being self-aware of the way in which we are thinking.

Up Next

Are You Making The Same Mistake Over And Over? Here’s How To Finally Stop!

Are You Making The Same Mistake Twice? Ways To Stop!

We’ve all been there. You swear you won’t do that again, whether it’s sending a risky text, trusting the wrong person, overspending, or missing a deadline. And then, boom. You end up making the same mistake twice. 

The cycle repeats, frustration builds, and you wonder if you’ll ever learn. But guess what? You can break free from the loop.

Habits, unconscious tendencies, and emotional biases cause us often to make the same mistakes. Even if seeking familiarity has unfavorable effects, our brains are programmed to do so.

We remain trapped in repetitive cycles due to a lack of self-awareness, a fear of change, and a failure to properly learn from prior experiences. Rather than addressing the underlying reasons of mistakes,

Up Next

How Many Aura Points Did You Just Lose? 5 Behaviors That Are Killing Your Vibe

How Many Aura Points Did You Just Lose? Behaviors That Are Killing Your Vibe

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation feeling like you absolutely won that interaction, congratulations, you just earned some aura points! But if you’ve ever cringed at something you did and wished you could take it back, yeah… that’s a big deduction.

Let’s explore the philosophy behind this new Tik Tok trend!

What Are Aura Points?

Aura points are TikTok’s new way of measuring how much rizz (aka charisma) you have, and it’s not just about being smooth with your words. It’s less about being cool and more about being “aura”. It’s about self-respect, confidence, and knowing when to walk away from situations that don’t serve you.

Up Next

Mindfulness And The Spirit of Buddhist Meditation

Mindfulness And The Spirit of Buddhist Meditation

Ever felt overwhelmed by your thoughts and emotions? What if you could train your mind to stay present, calm, and balanced? Learn more about Buddhist meditation below!

How mindfulness can help cultivate self-awareness and emotional regulation.

In recent years, mindfulness meditation, rooted in Buddhist traditions, has gained widespread interest in psychology and beyond. Amid a performance-driven culture, where achievement often outweighs presence, mindfulness offers a collective yearning for balance.