3 Tips for Taming Your Inner Creative Critic

We all have that inner voice (or I like to think of it as a gremlin) that tells us we're going to look or sound dumb if we put ourselves or our creative work out there. We hear it on repeat. I hear this from many creative people I work with. What's underlying that critic? Fear. But turns out you are not in danger! Fear is a great instinct for when we need to back off from hurling over a cliff or perk up in a parking garage at nighttime, but it's not so useful when we just want to share our latest creations. So, in that vein, I've written down three tips for taming that inner meanie:

1. Stop Comparing

You are unique in the universe. Don't forget that. Do your research, of course, but then turn off new opportunities to compare yourself to others who are on a different path than you. Silence social media for a bit or give yourself a timeline for research and a hard deadline for sharing your work. No one can learn from you or experience the joy of your creations unless you share it with us.

2. Identify What Your Inner Critic is Telling You

First of all, is it true? Probably not. Would you talk to a friend or a child this way? Of course not! So why do you tolerate it from yourself? Your inner critic may tell you some pretty awful things. "You're going to look dumb. You don't know what you are doing. So and so is already doing this very same thing and it's way better." But at the end of the day, does any of that really matter? Sure, maybe you could receive negative feedback. Just know that your work isn't for that person and move on. Or maybe the friend you see on social media is just further along the technical or creative path than you. That's ok! It doesn't mean you won't get there or that your results won't matter. That creator started at the very beginning too. (Bonus tip: Talent does not equal success and vice versa.)

3. Ignore Your Inner Critic

I'm going to let you in on a little secret, everyone has one! Even artists who’ve made millions of dollars off of their work? Yep, they have it too. They may look like they have it all figured out, but guess what? As humans and creators, we're all growing and evolving everyday and ideally pushing ourselves to new heights. Most of us, if we're lucky, are finding ourselves in uncharted territory. The difference is… these professional artists do not allow their inner critic stop them from living a creative life. They're scared too.

Go for a walk, get some rest, drink some tea and I promise on the other side of that, your critic will be a little less disruptive and a little quieter.

Are there other healthy ways you've found to silence your inner critic?

Some additional resources for you:

Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk by Danielle Krysa

Art and Fear, Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles & Ted Orland

ReThinking with Adam Grant: Reese Witherspoon on turning impostor syndrome into confidence