I’ve got a little secret to let you in on…Ready?
You are your harshest critic.
Sounds crazy, right? But think about it. That pesky voice in the back of your brain is ready to surprise attack your every move 24 hours a day. No one else spends as much time analyzing your choices as the critic inside your own mind. And no one else talks as much as that whispering little nuisance! Talk about a confidence killer.
So here’s the good news
It’s easier than you’d think to turn down the volume and silence the voice. Here are a few simple tactics you can try next time that noisy critic starts yakking:
1. Realize no one else is thinking about you as often as you are.
It might surprise you, but it’s true. Despite their critical glares and wrinkled eyebrows, nobody else is as worried about your performance as you are. In fact, they’re all too busy thinking about themselves to fret about you.
This can be helpful to remember when you walk into a room of stern faces. Take a deep breath and remember that each individual is also hearing the voice of their own inner critic. And you know from experience that those inner voices are far too noisy for them to concentrate on judging you.
2. Tell the critic it can take a break.
This might sound simple, but sometimes the critic is being annoying because it’s really just concerned about you. All of that over-analyzing and harsh self-judgment can stem from a need to protect ourselves. You might find it helpful to briefly listen to the critic’s concerns and then politely thank it and assure it that you’ve got this taken care of so it can take a rest.
3. Prove Them Wrong.
Often the critical voice we hear is an echo of all the people from our past who have doubted us or told us we couldn’t make it. When these echoes replay in your mind, you can choose to be discouraged, or you can decide to accept the challenge. When these voices say you can’t, prove that you can. You can show your true confidence.
Once you realize that it’s all in your head, you will be free to hope, dream, and leap with nothing holding you back.
