Freedom from Self-Doubt: How Likely Are You to Silence Your Inner Critic?
“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
~Mahatma Gandhi
The Road to Personal Freedom
In the past blogs, we looked at limiting beliefs – things that you accept about life, about yourself, about your world, or about the people in it, that limit you in some way; assumptions – expectations that, because something has happened in the past, it will happen again; and interpretations – opinions and judgments that you create about an event, situation, person, or experience and believe to be true.
It is now time to examine the last, but certainly not the least, of the big four energy blocks, those thing that take the wind out of your sails, steal your confidence and freedom to be yourself. The final block we’ll talk about – the inner critic, or gremlin – is the most difficult to overcome, because it’s the most personal and holds the most energy.
This barrier is within every one of us. You know that little voice in your head? That voice that tells you not to try, never to take a risk, always to take the safe road, and to compromise your life by playing small? That’s your gremlin, and the message from your gremlin’s warnings is that you’re just not good enough to reach the summit of success.
Regardless of any evidence to the contrary, the gremlin’s annoying voice continues to whisper: “you’re going to fail.” This debilitating message bubbles up in many forms: “I’m not smart enough, experienced enough, and attractive enough.” It all comes back to a simple and quite vicious message: “I’m just not good enough to cut it.”
Your gremlin is highly personal. It is rooted deeply inside you and carries the most intense emotional charge of any of the blocks we’ve explored. Your gremlin thrives on fear. When you hear its whispers, your motivation to try withers. You dread failing, feeling pain, and being embarrassed. You can even be scared of succeeding if the gremlin convinces you that you’ll fail eventually.
So what are some typical gremlins statements? Do you hear any of these statements from your own inner critic?
- I’m not effective.
- Who am I kidding, here?
- I’m not smart enough to really do this job right.
- I don’t have enough experience.
- I don’t deserve great success.
- They are going to find out I am a phony.
Being aware of your gremlin is the first step towards lessening its power. Once you realize that your gremlin exists, give it an identity. Name it – and then, if you’d like, make it even more real by drawing it, sculpting it, or seeing it in your mind – whatever works for you. In doing this, you discover that the gremlin is only a part of who you are, not your whole identity. By seeing it in objective terms, you sap some of its strength. Gremlin work can be quite involved and is most effective when you are guided by a certified coach.
The Big 4 hold you back from freely living the life you desire and prevent you from making conscious choices. The Energy Leadership Assessment reveals how likely you are to get back the things you value most: time, money, and freedom. Learn how to kick the Big 4 to the curb and get what you want without having to work so hard. CLICK HERE to find out more.
“The man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.” ~ Andrew Carnegie
