“You are your own worst critic."
This is a phrase I am sure everyone has heard before. However, I do not think people understand the accuracy of this statement unless they have experience with their inner critics. I believe that we tear apart our own creations in an effort to produce what we consider high quality work. However, have you ever thought about how your inner critic may be hindering your creativity rather than helping it?
Our inner commentary can prevent us from reaching our fullest potential. Danielle Krysa, author of Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk, explains that we typically get discouraged in our quests for perfection, because perfection is unattainable. No matter how close our work gets to meeting our expectations, it will never satisfy us. We will always expect better from ourselves.
Our failures can cause us to give up on our dreams. I believe Walt Disney’s life is a wonderful example of perseverance. He was fired from a Missouri newspaper for “not being creative enough.” Then, in 1921, Disney opened his own animation studio, which went bankrupt only two years later. Instead of giving up, he continued following his dreams, which resulted in the creation of the most iconic entertainment company in the world.
So how do we silence our inner critic? According to Krysa, we should be like Disney and never give up. Even when our over-critical opinions and the ones around us tell us otherwise, we must keep trying. Failure is just a roadblock on our way to success.
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