banish your inner critic, port80
DESCRIPTION
Your inner critic is an unconscious deterrent that stands between the seeds of great ideas and the fruits of achievement, keeping you stuck by telling you you’re just faking it, that others have more talent, that you’ll never achieve the success you seek. Let's take a look at ways to banish your inner critic to give you the mental space and energy to let your true talents emerge.TRANSCRIPT
Banish Your Inner Critic Denise R. Jacobs Port80 Conference Newport, Wales 16 May 2014
O hai!
Photo: Derek Kearney
Upon a time… http://www.behance.net/gallery/Once-Upon-a-Time/2918365
29 June http://www.flickr.com/photos/jblndl/3154255478/
Instead of creativity Photo from Flickr.com
Destructivity http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevygee/3265941065/
The voices in my head were merciless
http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/
I totally freaked out
I shouldn't be writing this I misrepresented myself
I don't know enough This should be someone else’s book
I’m going to look stupid Everyone will see that I’m a fake What if it's not good enough? What if I'm not good enough?
No…really!
2 days http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiery-phoenix/8428079916/
Pushed myself to burn-out
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4052943367/
Worked non-stop https://www.flickr.com/photos/53611153@N00/5827849044/
My internal critical voices http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeapalooza/553545517/
That happened.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/70938871@N05/8230432077
Physical evidence of fear http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyfeline/4626401443/
A different kind of fear Photo: Denise Jacobs
Internalized fears & criticisms
https://www.flickr.com/photos/remoto/5313967682
The Inner Critic http://www.flickr.com/photos/lance_mountain/2849396572/
Troll under the bridge
F.E.A.R. =
http://cdnpix.com/show/imgs/7a361666e107cd36656d5a66ea2e4e80.jpg
(Also, F.E.A.R. = F*ck Everything And Run)
The enemy of creativity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardwinchell/130344669/
Creative brainwaves http://uniteunderfreedom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brain-waves.jpg
Know your Brainwaves
Stress & frustration
https://www.flickr.com/photos/corneveaux/3248566797/
Suppress generative impulses in the brain
https://www.flickr.com/photos/birthintobeing/11841180046
Dampens creative expression
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anieto2k/8156999698/
How to ID your Inner Critic http://www.flickr.com/photos/lambdachialpha/203904103/
Not that hard, right?
http://brenebrown.com/2014/04/08/daring-interview-series-meet-gavin-aung/
“OMG, I’m SO busy!”
“I should have done more by now…”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kharied/3315558702/
“They’ll find out I’m a fraud”
“I don’t know enough”
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg
(vs. Dunning-Kruger effect)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul-drummond/3946893897
Impostor Syndrome Paradox
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x1brett/2279939232/
“It needs to be PERFECT”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/
psst: Perfectionists focus on the finished product…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phatcontroller/3667889959/
Instead of the process http://www.flickr.com/photos/spyndle/474122586/
“I’ll do it tomorrow…”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
“Really, I’ll do it tomorrow.”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
“I will do it tomorrow!”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
Feed each other
In order for http://www.flickr.com/photos/designandtechnologydepartment/4771136128/
“The goal is to manage anxiety so that our energies are used for the productive and satisfying art of creating…
…rather than the destructive and debilitating art of self-torture. “ - Clare Warmke, Idea Revolution
How do we…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/5445602998/
Banish the Inner Critic?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31505964@N08/4691019168/
Eliminate Should/Must/Ought
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mythoto/3822942678/
Say NO to Comparisons http://www.flickr.com/photos/suvodeb/2559017400/
Ask it questions
http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/4749432145/
Be compassionate http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/2646295354/
Reassign duty
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavawnmarie/1326123397/
Remember your successes http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/
(My personal version) Photo: Denise Jacobs
Maintain perspective http://www.flickr.com/photos/daikrieg/1294053038/
*WHATEVER*
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-23-2013/quhKj3.gif
Cop a Power Pose
Breaking the loop
Perfectionism
http://www.flickr.com/photos/diepuppenstubensammlerin/7648792510/
The real problem
http://cuttingthecheese.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/26810560251953842_ede18tng_f.jpg
Remember egocentricity
Decouple your performance from who you are
https://www.flickr.com/photos/krissen/6824608878
Fear of failure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717325940/
“Fear is not real. It is a product of the thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” - character of Cypher Raige (played by Will Smith), After Earth
Reframe failure
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/2717326642/
And mistakes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/4498817330/
(maybe even embrace them)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielagama_fotografando/4029208908/
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” - Henry Ford
Copy the #fail masters Photo: Denise Jacobs
Fail in private http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959867550/
Do it again http://www.flickr.com/photos/seandreilinger/959864706/
Satisfice
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sleepyvalley/3650673328
Remember humble beginnings
Twitter, circa 2006
“Being right keeps us in place. Being wrong forces us to explore.” – Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From
Procrastination
http://www.flickr.com/photos/irrezolut/2311904560/
The trick is not determining which you are…
http://20px.com/blog/2013/09/06/a-field-guide-to-procrastinators/
Nor administering a dose of
https://www.flickr.com/photos/116357579@N08/13178367583
Increase the meaning/value
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyeliam/2460475510/
Mind Tricks https://www.flickr.com/photos/32135758@N02/5325454434/
Don’t do it, just get ready to Photo: Denise Jacobs
“Structured procrastination” https://www.flickr.com/photos/superamit/1043379069
Time & Space Tricks http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/
Eliminate distractions
From “Shit Black Girls Say”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXDpfhehb6I
Tools RescueTime.com GetConcentrating.com HeyFocus.com
Browser Extensions Firefox: LeechBlock Idderall Google Chrome: Strict Workflow StayFocusd
Digital Aides
Airplane mode
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieterouwerkerk/699475144/
Make it a Sprint or Quota
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucamascaro/4975166968/
Remember this:
Photo: Denise Jacobs
My story’s end? http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonialuna/2942020058/
February http://www.flickr.com/photos/doug88888/3709856898/
#FAIL
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eliseporter/2315794956/
#WINNING! http://www.flickr.com/photos/clappstar/6297835482/
I wrote a book! Photo: Denise Jacobs
http://browse.deviantart.com/?q=brainwaves&order=9&offset=120#/dqc6w7
And created something AMAZING
Bad dreams
“The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday—but never jam to-day.”
“It MUST come sometimes to ‘jam to-day’,” Alice objected.
“No, it can’t,” said the Queen. “It’s jam every OTHER day: to-day isn’t any OTHER day, you know.”
— from Through the Looking Glass & What Alice Found There, by Lewis Carroll
You never get Jam
By sharing my experience Photo: Deloria Jacobs
Show you there is an alternative
https://www.flickr.com/photos/buttersponge/4955768144
You’ll look at yourself differently
https://www.flickr.com/photos/edenpictures/3460562429
Let yourself create those imperfect, yet amazing ideas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3564484236/
Because, after all…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aoberg/9652158212
The End
Photo: Denise Jacobs
Articles for further reading creativebloq.com/inspiration/four-secrets-enhancing-creative-productivity-9126098 alistapart.com/articles/ reigniting-your-creative-spark/ alistapart.com/articles/ banishing-your-inner-critic/
Breaking the Perfectionism-Procrastination Infinite Loop
On Web Standards Sherpa: http://webstandardssherpa.com/
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Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/
Thank you! http://www.flickr.com/photos/theredproject/3302110152/