Post on 11-Aug-2014
description
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/